memories of you
by florarune
Summary: a pair of twins move back to their home city, only to be dragged into saving the world. / p3 twin au / complete.
1. that night (prologue)

p3 twin au?  
im gonna be,, using something closer to how the movies did the adaptation because doing every single day is #not my problem  
how this'll work is,, i'll point out who's view it's from in the chapter name?  
anyway here's hopin i dont regret this LMAO!

umm shit so? some trigger warnings? esp for this first chapter..  
..sorry if it freaks y'all out i watch a lot of crime shows..

* * *

 _December 2nd, 1999._

Everything is green and red, and there's the distinct smell of smoke in the air.

As a young boy stirs, his senses are on a blinding red alert, the strange scent and colours invading his vision, and sending off every single warning sign in his body. He feels as though he shouldn't be awake, and that he's seeing something he shouldn't be seeing. But he forgets that as he remembers what he was doing before he woke up, and immediately he looks around the area in a desperate search.

Did the car crash? No... the answer stands in the distinct sound he's only ever heard in movies and television shows; gunfire. As if on cue, his body's fight or flight system tells him to get away from whatever was firing off that weapon.

Before he's able to get away, a distinct and almost disgustingly strong smell of iron and of something burning catches his attention, and he makes a desperate attempt to look from where he lies on the ground, the cold asphalt concrete road, to the car.

Everything runs cold.

He can't diverge his eyes away, he simply can't, from the burning bodies he presumes to be his mother and father, one lying half out of the broken window, and the other half out the door, body mangled, bloody and burnt.

It's a horrifying sight.

His breathing begins to pick up pace, and he can feel the bile in his stomach rise up; he wants to vomit so badly but for some reason he can't. He can feel it there, sitting heavily in his throat, the rapid sound gunfire and clashing metal of **_whatever caused this_** like white noise to his ears. He sucks in a deep breath as he remembers.

 **His sister.**

His leg is in bad shape; he can't help but be thankful that he didn't feel how bad the pain was until now, but he forces himself to get up. He needs to find his sister, no matter what. Maybe someone will notice the smoke and call the fire department or an ambulance for his parents? He hopes so. He's not strong enough to drag them both to safety, not with their bodies limp and crushed metal and fire in his way.

Blue eyes scan the area, avoiding the sight of his parents' bodies, and he soon sees a small red bundle lying not too far from the car. So he runs over, trying as hard as he can despite the fire and the burning fear in his heart, and grabs the little body. Thank goodness; it is his little sister. Her clothes are burnt badly, and she's bleeding from her head and back (at least from what he can tell? Maybe it's just her red clothes, he hopes..), but there's a soft breath left in her body.

He pulls her away from the car, grunting with every tug. It's not like his sister is heavy, but he's just so weak. The both of them had frail bodies, but it never mattered to his young self until now.

"Wake up!"

She stirs slightly, opening her eyes to look at him briefly before passing back out again. What does he do? Surely Mama would know what to do.. she's a doctor after all! But it's just him and his sister, his mother looks more and more like one of Papa's cooking projects.

"There's no other choice." A girl's voice, and he quickly turns his head towards it.

A metal body, and cold eyes.  
She stares at him with those piercing blue eyes, he feels a chill just looking at how dead they are, and he's frozen in place. He can't escape, and all he can do is hold his sister closer to his body, shielding her from whatever this metallic beast was.  
As she leans closer towards him with something in her hands, he blacks out with his eyes on her and the gigantic full moon.

* * *

 _December 4th, 1999._

 _" **Those poor children.. Orphaned at only six!"**_

 ** _"The younger twin; the girl? She's got severe injuries.. They say it was a crash."_**

 ** _"Honestly. They had children in the car, shouldn't they have driven properly?"_**

He grinds his teeth just thinking about it. He's definitely starting to get what Mama meant by 'housewives and their meaningless chatter'. Hearing them gossip about what had happened a little less than two days ago makes his blood burn. He'd heard nothing but their useless bickering over what had happened on his way to his uncle's car.

He needs to distract himself.  
Auntie had said the funeral needed to happen soon, but that nobody in the family had the money for it. Apparently sending people to heaven was expensive.. He didn't really get it himself, but apparently it was 'tradition'. He had thought of himself as a smart kid (his Mama liked to call him a 'smart cookie'!) but now he's beginning to realise just how much he doesn't know about the world.

Like how he didn't know about how second degree burns look weirdly snow white on his sister's already pale skin, or how it'll apparently take a month or two for his broken leg to heal. His uncle reckons he should've learned that second one playing with his friends, instead of in a devastating car crash that made their family from four to two.

"Big bro!"

He snaps out of it. Right.. he's forgotten he's at the hospital, in his sister's room, where she'll be 'recuperating' for her burns and head injuries. Apparently they weren't too bad, though the nurse lady had used the phrase 'could have been worse'. But, he's allowed to interpret that however he can! Apparently though, she should make a good recovery. That's all he wants to hear. It's a little slice of good news.

"What is it?" Curiosity paints his face, that tone she used was only reserved for when she'd been trying to catch his attention for ages.

"Auntie gave me a dress to wear to the funeral, but it's all black.." Another slice of good news was that she didn't seem to see anything like he did that night, but if she did, she's keeping quiet. "I don't really like wearing black.."

"I think Mama and Papa would like you to be more colourful."

"Yeah, but apparently that's not allowed!" She crosses her arms animatedly, only to flinch slightly. He winces; the burn went from her lower back to a little around the sides of her stomach. Moving in her usual over the top manner probably hurt.

"Then wear the dress to make Auntie happy, but we'll decorate your hair with a pretty ribbon."

She lights up.

* * *

 _December 6th, 1999._

Someone anonymously donated 'a ton' of money for the funeral. Grandma wonders if it had been the other driver in the crash, calling them 'cowardly' and saying they should've shown their face. She was a fiery old woman, one he couldn't see as being related to him, thanks to how passive he and his sister were. Maybe it came from Papa's side.

The wake had been the night before, and had been strange to say the least. They were given black and silver envelopes of money ("Condolence money." says Grandma, her hand tight around his sister's.) and after it had ended he and his sister had to hand out little gifts to the departing guests. They weren't much, apparently the gifts were only supposed to be half or a quarter of the money they'd received (it made no sense to him!), but his sister had insisted on handing over a pair of entwined red roses, saying that they were representing Mama and Papa's departure to heaven together.

Today was the proper funeral, and the procedure seems very similar to what had happened the day before. He stands there in silence, dressed in a black suit, while his sister beside him looks uncomfortable in her black dress. Auntie still seems a little angry that his sister adorned her hair with a big red bow.

The priest begins to chant his sutra, and the two twins walk hand in hand, ready to offer incense.

On that day, Arisato Minato came to terms with death.

* * *

I WASNT SURE HOW TO END IT!  
anyway i purposely didnt use any character names for this... prologue chapter lmao  
so! the twins' names are arisato minato (male mc) and arisato kotone (femc).  
femc's name comes from her stageplay name!

i wrote this in like,, maybe an hour and a half?  
i wasnt counting anyway im on a roll so i might begin to write the first chapter after posting this  
hope y'all enjoyed it! it's been a while since i wrote a proper fanfic lmao


	2. april 7th (chapter 1)

IT BEGINS. AGAIN.  
i hate myself!  
i can't write long shit to save my fucking life lmao  
i had to rewatch the first movie for this LMAOO

* * *

 _April 7th, 2009._

 ** _"Train service today is significantly delayed due to a fatal accident. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience."_**

The man over the announcement sounds anything but apologetic. He sounds tired, probably is sick of his job and of the day, and now he has to apologise for some mishap at eleven something at night to exactly three people. Minato would hate having this man's job too.

"That's too bad.." His sister's chime like voice meets his ears, and he turns towards her. Her soft features have a downcast look, her eyebrows knit together in contemplative thought. "I hope the people at the dormitory don't mind us arriving late."

In her thin hands she holds a pamphlet, a picture of the dormitory they were heading to on the very front, underneath in bright bold letter's the words 'Iwatodai Dormitory'. She seemed very interested in reading about their new home, considering that ever since the train emptied out she's been reading off some of the good points to him. It boasted about it's 'high security', and it's on site kitchen. The main reason she was so happy was because it was co-ed. They hadn't ever lived apart from each other in all sixteen years of their lives, and Kotone made it very clear she didn't want to start now. She had been so terrified at the idea of living in the girl's dorm alone, partially out of worry for his health and partially out of the anxiety of being surrounded by girls she didn't know.

"They won't mind." With that simple response, he switches back off from human interaction mode, quickly pressing the 'play' button on his MP3 and looking out the train's window before his sister could speak up with a response. She knows the drill. Music on, talking off.

All he can ask is why. Why did he feel compelled to come back home to Iwatodai now?

* * *

The pair step off the train, scanning their train passes on the way out of the gates, his sister hauling her school bag over one shoulder while trying to keep a grip on the move-in guide held tightly in her hand. He's not sure what she's got inside that bag; most of their stuff was delivered to the dorm, but whatever she had in there was apparently important enough to take on the train. Well, it doesn't matter in the long run. According to her, the dormitory wasn't that far from the station.

Minato peers over her shoulder at the guide, trying to confirm whether or not she's actually telling the truth. Not that she would lie, but he doesn't remember his sister having the best map reading skills. She's not wrong. Score one for Kotone, zero points for him.

It's only with his sister's hitch in breath that he realises everything has darkened over with that disgusting green and red hue.  
Ever since that night, this has occurred. Like clockwork, every day, every week, every month, every year.

His sister experiences it too, but not in the same calm manner he does. She's clearly more shaken about the appearance everything takes during this time, more shaken about the occasional screaming they've heard. It's not like it's anything new, and she should be more used to it. But she freaks out every single time.  
She's more human than he is, with his robotic demeanour.

Slowly the two walk to the dormitory, his sister's free hand never leaving his sleeve.

* * *

The moon is nearly full.  
It shines with an eery green glow, and looks almost too close to the Earth. It feels dangerous, but it's the only source of light for the twins to walk in.

There's absolutely no sound whatsoever, other than his sister's soft breathing and the synchronised taps of their shoes against pavement. A loud scream; a man's, breaks through the air, slicing the silence in two, although it clearly doesn't do anything to help his sister, who shrieks in surprise. He shoots a look, facial expression apathetic until she reached his eyes. She's always been uncomfortably good at reading his emotions, staring right into his soul through his eyes.

It didn't help that her eyes were a piercing red.

"It didn't sound close." He states simply.

She sighs, and they continue on.

They stop outside the dormitory, and they both take a brief moment to check they're at the right place. It's larger than it looks in the pictures, but what surprises him the most are the lights he sees shining inside.

That wasn't normal.

He keeps that thought to himself, and climbs the stairs after his sister (who seems to have already run ahead of him in excitement to finally be there), opening the door to their new home.

It's surprisingly simple on the inside. Three lounges sit to one side, all facing a coffee table and a retro looking TV. Kotone breaks away from him now that they're inside, her brown curls headed towards the lounge, where she quickly places her bag down. She probably presumes they're supposed to wait for the dormitory head or something.  
He's not sure what to do now, either.

 **"You're late."** He turns his head towards the sign-in desk, eyes meeting with a young boy. His sister doesn't seem hear his voice. **"I've been waiting ages for you to come."**

He breathes out a sigh, but doesn't respond.

 **"If you want to proceed, please sign your name there."** The young boy gestures to a notebook in front of him. **"It's a sort of contract. There's no need to be afraid. It just says you will take responsibility for your decisions from now own. Typical contract stuff."**

This child.. is awfully carefree.

With a nonchalant huff, Minato turns toward the contract, picking up the feather quill he was supposed to sign with. He writes each stroke for his last name slowly, recalling his Grandmother telling him to always sign things slowly, in order to not make a mistake. He soon moves on to his first name, writing the single kanji down before placing the quill down and picking the notebook up, staring at the boy as if waiting for his next instructions.

After all, the child seemed fine with leading the conversation so far.

The boy takes it, the pass of the slim booklet from himself to the child feather light, and holds it close to his chest.

 **"It's true. Time brings an end to all things. Even if we plug our ears and cover our eyes."**

The youth laughs, murmuring a soft **'And it begins'** as he fades off into practically darkness.

"Who are you?!" A new voice. A girl's, and not his sister's. It has a different tone to it, instead of the bell like lilt his sister had, this girl's tone was shaking with fear. She clearly wasn't expecting the two of them. She quivers, her hand reaching to a holster on her thigh, and his eyebrow quirks up. His sister clearly seemed less intrigued, having jumped from her place on the lounge to behind him.

Just as she grabs the weapon, a new voice joins in, this one burning with confidence and screaming authority.

"Wait, Takeba." Long exotic red curls, and a gaze that could pierce the strongest of armour. This woman (calling her a girl didn't seem right, she just exuded this air of a much more mature and older woman, despite the high school uniform she wore) begins to walk down the staircase.

"But Kirijo-senpai, they-!"

"Don't worry, they're ordinary transfer students."

"What do you mean, 'ordinary'?"

The lights switch back on, and the thick air leaves as soon as it appeared. Looks like it's over now for another night.

* * *

i kno thats a weird ass place to cut off but im! tired as fuck

its bed time bitch  
i'm just setting shit up these first two chapters lmao  
i still gotta get into the knack of writing heaps of shit

anyway so some quick info! since im using mainly the movies (which arent dubbed)  
i'll be using the japanese order for names and things that the eng localisation kept in (the honourifics, ect)  
the male protagonist is technically the main protagonist, but i will have a key focus on the femc kotone.

i love her and atlus treats her unfair which means my city now


	3. april 7th, morning (chapter 2)

last chapter i also used april 7th bc it was basically midnight so? no point in saying it was the 6th lol  
added timestamps for what time of day it is just in case it gets confusing tho

also i opened back up my psvita and started two new games for each of our protags just to get,,  
better timestamps and of events.. i'll be recording down when it happens and ect so!

* * *

 _April 7th, 2009.  
Past Midnight._

She breathes out a short lived sigh of relief.

The redhead approaches the twins, heels clicking with each step. She's an intimidating presence, and all Kotone is capable of doing his peering at her over her twin brother's shoulder. She's never been good with authority types like this..

"We were expecting you two to arrive earlier. I'm Kirijo Mitsuru. I live here in this dorm." She gives a small smile.

The other girl clearly doesn't seem as friendly. "Why'd they pick _**this**_ hour to show up?"

"It was a last minute decision to place them both here. They'll probably be formally assigned to the other dormitories eventually."

The two share a look, the short haired girl's eyebrow raised slightly in question. It's a look that's hard to understand; it almost feels like the two have the relationship of a boss and coworker, rather than a pair of teenagers living in the same dorm.. That's a little troublesome.. was there bad blood between these two?

And, hey, wait just a second! Moved to the other dormitories? As in, the single gender dorms? That's not something she wants any time soon! God, the idea of Minato living around a bunch of other boys who would probably not take a second look at him terrifies her. He has no sense of self-preservation! He'd waste away slowly without her there to check on him and whether or not he's been eating!

Sometimes it feels like she's the older sibling..

Before she can complain, the brunette stranger speaks up again. "Is this a good idea?"

"We'll see." Kirijo Mitsuru simply shrugs in response.

Kotone's head is spinning. Just what the heck's going on? Everything feels so _secretive_ here! It's like they're being told straight to their face, ' _this is temporary_ ', and that there's no point in getting comfortable living here! Isn't this a bit of a cold welcome? What's with these two and having holsters on them? Surely those aren't real weapons, right? How does a teenage girl get what looks like a handgun in Japan, anyway?

She has so many questions, but her brother makes it clear he has no intention on asking any of them, as he walks straight past the two and begins to go up the staircase.

"Hey, you!" Jeez, the one in pink really doesn't seem to like her brother..

He stops, and shoots his sister a look. She knows this one well. The 'get me out of this situation' look. Maybe to these other girls, it looks like regular apathy and a dead glare, but she knows Minato well enough to know better. He's not enjoying this either, is he?

"Your room is on the second floor, at the end of the hall. Takeba, show him the way." Isn't she being left out of this conversation?! It makes sense, he's the one who walked up the staircase first, with no idea which room is his, but still! Shouldn't she also be informed of where she'll be sleeping for the night is? Does this mean she just follows along and hopes she gets taken to her's as well? "This is Takeba Yukari. She'll be a second year this spring. That's the same as you two, right?"

"I'm Takeba."

Oh! He wants her to do the introductions! "Um, he's Arisato Minato. I'm Arisato Kotone. It's a pleasure to meet you!"  
She bows her head, trying to make a good impression. Even if she feels a little.. out of the loop, both in the conversation and with everything that's just happened, she can't let that be an excuse for having no manners. Normally, she'd walk up there and force him to introduce himself, but.. It's getting late, so she doesn't mind doing it this once.

"Same here. Nice to meet you."

There's still some tension in Takeba-san's voice... they mustn't be liked too much at all...

She can't focus on that for too long, though. So, what she's gathered so far is.. Takeba Yukari is a second year like herself and her brother. Kirijo Mitsuru must be a third year then, judging by how she was spoken to by the first girl. That makes memorising them a bit easier. Not like they weren't memorable, but having names and what to call them to faces really helps out.

"It's late. You three should all turn in." Kirijo-senpai hands over two sets of keys, and with a quick and quiet response from Takeba-san, they're led along up the stairwell.

Kotone decides to wait at the staircase for Takeba-san, presuming that this floor must be the boys'. She doesn't need to follow her brother around everywhere, even though she feels like she has to. A second year in high school shouldn't be so attached to her brother, right? She needs- no, she _**has**_ to get better at that.  
It's weird, after all.. maybe it was cute when they were little, but they can't always be like that..

He's her only family, and she can't just part from him.

* * *

 _January 25th, 2000._

Nobody wants to take two growing children on. Some have the excuse that they can barely pay for the living expenses of their own children, let alone two that didn't belong with them. The social worker lady wants to split them up, saying there's a higher chance of them being taken into a nice home that way, but Kotone was adamant on never leaving her brother's side.

The fact Mama and Papa are never coming home already has her broken and worn. She can't be separated from her big bro too! Even if nobody wants to take them in, as long as they're together, they'll be able to handle it! Surely, surely they'll be able to handle it...

On all those TV shows she watches, the ones about magical girls and the super sentai, they're able to do anything so long as they have each other!

Why can't that be true for them as well..?

* * *

Currently, she'd being led up the next flight of stairs by her new dorm mate, her head throughly muddled in thoughts. It's late, she's tired and confused. The pair of girls go further and further down the hall, reaching the very last door. Takeba-san hands over the keys, and murmurs a soft goodnight.

The door is softly pulled shut, an attempt to not make any noise, and she slowly takes in the sight of her brand new room. Most of her things are here, albeit inside boxes that she'll have to unpack tomorrow afternoon, but her bed is made with a simple spread and everything appears to be in order. With that, she places her far too heavy bag down on the floor, pulling out her essential items from it.

Minato told her to not bring too much onto the train, insisting to just let the movers do all the work, but there were some things she didn't want to leave up to them. Photos, a change of clothes, and her childhood stuffed animal. She'd packed them very neatly into her bag, but the photo frames made the bag heavier than normal. They were too important to her to let some stranger take care of them. Photos of her mother and father, of her grandparents, even a few of some of the more extended family members they'd stayed with in these ten years.

Her precious memories.

A soft sigh leaves her lips, and she begins undressing and putting on her pyjamas. She'll need to think of places for each one of her photos to go... there was a cork board in here, nearby the door.. Maybe some of the photos can forego the frames and be pinned onto that instead? Maybe she could make a nice arrangement with them..

No matter. Tonight she sleeps.

* * *

 _April 7th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

Takeba-san had come to wake her up first, it made sense with them on the same floor, but had quickly rushed down the staircase to wake up Minato the second the tired girl had left her room. She didn't even get the chance to ask where the showers were... So with clear hesitance, she begins to wander around the rather empty hallway in search of her first destination of the morning.

Shouldn't there be more people around? For a dormitory, it's awfully empty. The nameplates on each door had nothing on them, with the exception of Takeba-san's and Kirijo-senpai's. Just what sort of dorm is this? She thought that the co-ed dorm would have a lot more people in it... But only two girls in the entire building before her arrival? This place just gets weirder and weirder with every discovery.

Lucky her, finding the showers at the very end of the hall takes her mind off of all the things that don't make a lot of sense about this dormitory, and she quickly heads in to shower and get ready for her first day at yet another brand new school.

With that in mind, she tries not to take too long, remembering how her dorm mate had rushed in order to wake up both of the siblings. She showers quickly, and takes a little more time getting changed; trying to make sure the uniform doesn't make how thin and frail looking she is stand out too much, before quickly rushing down the stairs to meet up with everyone.

It's only her brother and Takeba-san, but she can already tell this is going to be a quiet, quiet trip to school.

* * *

Quiet didn't even begin to cover this train ride. Sure, there's plenty of students talking around them, but the silence between the twins and their new acquaintance was like a giant glacier. There really needs to be something going on here, a conversation that makes the tension in the air dissipate for even one second..  
That's it!

"Um, Takeba-san?" Kotone begins, catching the attention of the cardigan clad girl and her brother. "How many people live in the dormitory with us?"

The other girl's eyebrows furrow in thought, pursing her lips tightly as she rattles through her brain to discover an answer. She wasn't expecting to even be listened to, but so far it seemed like the standoffish attitude they'd received the night before was a one off thing.

"You can just call me Yukari, it's fine! And, let's see... there's myself, Kirijo-senpai and one more senior, who you'll probably meet later on." That little people?! She was expecting maybe ten or fifteen, not five students, including herself and her brother! That's a really, really small number to have by themselves in one, co-ed dormitory! Before she can get a response in, Yukari...san speaks back up. "Look, you can see the school from here!"

The view is beautiful, but she can't shake this feeling like there's something being hidden from her and her brother.

* * *

idk maybe this chapter was a little boring?  
basically it was exposition shit and introducing characters..  
hate that i had to make it the first chapter from kotones point of view lol  
ah well my ideal posting for this is at least 2 chapters a day  
so,, the next chapter (which should be up real soon) will be.. interesting, to say the least lol

so, after some thinking last night, minato will be very similar to his movie counterpart,  
whilst kotone will have a personality much more similar to magical girl/idol anime heroines..  
so.. cheerful, gentle and friendly, but with a strong sense of justice... with a twist :^)

mm so whether or not kotone will be able to go to the velvet room is... :^) my secret


	4. dark hour (chapter 3)

like i said that last chapter was boring as hell  
(and long)  
so let's get this,,, far more action packed (hopefully) chapter goin  
am i regretting starting this fanfic? a lil

also, me realising i had to write ikutsuki: damn...

* * *

 _April 7th, 2009._  
 _Lunchtime._

Her brother was placed into Class 2-F. She was placed into Class 2-E. The second that lunch bell rang, she sprung up from her seat, grabbed her wallet from her bag and ran out of the classroom to pick out today's lunch. She'd normally cook something, but she didn't have the time to prepare anything. So, something cheap and (hopefully) healthy from the school store will have to do.

Apparently the menu changes everyday. That's a little bothersome, so she ends up spending six hundred yen on two cutlet sandwiches. Jeez, these things are expensive. It would be way cheaper in the long run to just make food.. spending this much money every day is bad for her wallet, and probably her health too. Alas, she takes both sandwiches and quickly makes her way back up the staircase to the second floor, practically barging into Class 2-F.

She's a little more than surprised at what she sees.

"By the way, I heard you came to school with Yukaricchi and another real cutie! What's the story there, ladies man?" A student in a baseball cap is talking to her brother! It's a Christmas miracle, he's made friends! Thank goodness, having Yukari-san in the same class as him really seems to have helped! Maybe she was doing too much worrying..

"What are you talking about?! We just live in the same dorm! And that girl is his **_sister_** , Stupei!" That seems like a perfect place for her to just... waltz right on into the classroom. "Speak of the devil! Kotone, you must've bought Arisato-kun's lunch, right? He didn't seem to have any on him."

"Right! Minato's bad at taking care of himself, so it feels like I'm the older sibling sometimes!" She speaks as she enters the room, trying to ignore the occasional glance from other students. She places the sandwich down in front of her brother. "Normally, I make bento for the two of us, but.. I didn't have any time! But everything at that store is so expensive, I was really shocked!"

"Oh wow, a girl who's cute _and_ can cook!" Goatee says, and despite his words he has a genuinely impressed look on his face. "Well, I'll introduce myself one more time, for our transfer twins! I'm Iori Junpei, at your service!"

Despite his joking nature, he seems very friendly and easy to talk to. Kotone lets a small smile form on her lips, lightly giggling. She can trust her brother to this boy, alright. He'd probably do wonders, since he didn't seem like the type to take ' _no_ ' or ' _too close_ ' for an answer. Her brother needed a friend like that.

"Take good care of Minato, but don't listen to him when he complains! He needs to be forced to do things or else he'll rot away!"

They all laugh, and she feels good about this year.

* * *

"It's rare to see you at school, Chairman." Yukari sits in the office quietly, having been called out by Kirijo-senpai not long after school had ended. Call her crazy, but she has a feeling this is all about the two transfer students. Kirijo-senpai and the others were very interested in them, considering they walked with complete ease during **_that time_**.

"When Kirijo-kun told me about those two, I couldn't contain my curiosity." He speaks with a calm and mature tone, though Yukari knows he can be quite silly when he wants to be. Today he seems to be fulfilling his role as the school's Chairman quite nicely, which she's almost thankful for.

"Then, you think they're both?"

"It's almost certain." Kirijo-senpai cuts in, her eyes never leaving one of two black folders in her hands.

"The boy in particular is a most _fascinating_ case. If he does have the potential, he really should be more unstable, like his sister was last night. Suffering memory loss, disorientation, and so on. But he doesn't? Even she doesn't have too many of those symptoms, other than showing clear confusion and fear as to what was going on."

"But they arrived at the dorm as if it were no big deal. They walked casually there during the Dark Hour." She wouldn't be surprised if Kirijo-senpai was watching their every step.

"So, you think neither of them is normal?" Yukari asks, her doe like eyes filled with concern. Sure, the brother was a bit of a downer, but the sister seemed really sweet. Discussing the two of them without their knowledge; and even worse, spying on them, just made her feel plain awful.

"Possibly." Her senpai's curls of wine are shoved over one shoulder as she sighs.

"Which brings me to this.. Takeba-kun, I'd like you to monitor their activities up close for a while."

That doesn't sit right with her. "By which... you want me to spy on them?"

"I suppose I do." He smiles.

Kirijo-senpai claims her attention by holding out the folders she had been reading through, insisting that she also read through it. That really didn't sit right with her. Isn't this an invasion of privacy? They're just normal teenagers too...

"I feel a little bad doing this.. They don't know anything yet..."

"It's important to ascertain if they have the potential or not." Her senpai states it so simply, like this wasn't potentially illegal. Then again, the Kirijo family could do whatever they wanted here in Iwatodai..

"I know, but still.."

The chairman speaks up with a carefree ease, his tone disgustingly unfitting for an otherwise serious conversation.

"They seemed to have bounced around from school to school.. They're moving from relative to relative." His tone darkens a little. "Their parents are dead. And they died in **_the accident_** that happened in this city ten years ago."

Kirijo-senpai immediately narrows her eyes. "That's a strange coincidence.."

 _Ten years ago, huh.._

* * *

 _April 9th, 2009.  
After school._

"Moriyama-san, please stop!" A girl's soft voice begs, catching the attention of the twins, on their way back to the classrooms after checking out the clubs.

"Why? We're inspecting your personal belongings for you." Another girl, she speaks with malice and a laugh. Clearly, she's not a very nice person, and that sets off Kotone a little bit. They're further up ahead, their victim sitting on the floor, in front of her all her belongings.

"That's goody-goody Fuuka-chan for you! Nothing fun on her at all!" The second girl's friend. A bullying situation? The girl they're messing with clearly doesn't seem to be the sort to stand up against them..

"Keep behaving well!" They all laugh, running off talking at the top of their lungs about how 'kind' they are. Those girls... are in her class. The girl on the ground is as well. She doesn't have much of a presence, but the three bullying her are easy to pick out of a crowd.

Her brother sighs, walking a bit faster to start helping the girl pick up her books. Well, despite how he acts, Minato's definitely not one to tolerate things like this. But he'd never get directly involved.. It was why they kept quiet while walking, instead of speaking up. She knows now that there's no point in doing anything that draws attention while her brother was around.

She better help out too.

"Thank you very much..." The girl mumbles it, confusion clear in her voice. The sunlight makes her teal hair a sea foam green, highlighting some of her pretty features. Kotone can't remember her name, but from what she remembers from class, this girl is soft and gentle, and very smart. "Um, I'm sorry to be such a bother to you both."

Her brother hands over the girl's things, and begins to walk away.

"I'm sorry about him.. he's not very talkative. If they come after you again, come talk to me. I'm in your class, after all." With a soft smile, she follows her brother.

* * *

 _April 9th, 2009._  
 _Night._

It's a full moon tonight. She's never liked those. They're just plain old creepy, not even including all the urban legends and myths surrounding it. Even when everything goes red and green, the moon looks horrifying. Alas, it's just another creepy night she'll have to sleep through.

But before she's to sleep or study, she has to make lunch.

She heads for the dorm's kitchen, only to be sufficiently disappointed by how little there is. In the fridge, there's several sports drinks and bottles of water, and in the pantry there's nothing but snacks and two minute ramen. Everyone who lives here... worries her. It's like her brother, but there's three more. With a sigh, she wanders back out into the living area.

"Kirijo-senpai, there's no food in the kitchen." Approaching her senpai terrified her a little, but with a wring of her hands and a deep breath, she's able to do it.

"Ah.." Her senpai looks up from the book she'd been reading, her eyes surprisingly apologetic. "We haven't had anyone who cooks around here in a long time, so we've gotten used to eating out or simple instant food."

"That cannot be healthy!" Maybe if she and her brother had normal metabolisms, they'd be able to gain more weight eating the food in this dormitory, but they didn't, and she wouldn't allow it. Letting her brother become a skeleton or addicted to instant noodles was not on her bucket list. "I'm going shopping."

"Not now. It's too late at night."

As loathe as she is to agree, Kirijo-senpai is right. It's late at night, nearly eleven, and she's just one high school girl. It's times like this she wished she were a bit stronger, a bit more athletic.. But unfortunately, she was just plain old Kotone.

"I'll.. go tomorrow afternoon then. Sorry to bother you, senpai. Good night." Besides, she feels like she'd never win an argument with someone like Kirijo Mitsuru.

* * *

 _Dark Hour._

 **BZZT. BZZT.**

"I found an unbelievably amazing one! I've never seen anything like it!"

With those words, everything begins to shake in the dormitory. The three in the Operations Room immediately begin to look around, confusion painted all over their faces. Just what on Earth?

There's no time to ponder on that. Mitsuru is already up from her seat in front of the monitors and running down three flights of stairs, Takeba and Ikutsuki tight on her heels. In front of the door, clearly bleeding from his chest is the other resident of the dormitory.

"Akihiko!" She screams, approaching him faster with each step.

"Sanada-senpai!" Distress stains Takeba's voice.

"Are you alright?!"

"Don't worry about me, that unbelievable one is coming." He has a smile on his face, despite the pain he's in. What an absolute idiot! What was he thinking, challenging it on his own?! "It's gonna surprise the hell out of you!"

"This isn't the time to think that this is fun!" He needs medical attention, ASAP. The blood staining his red sweater and the sweat on his forehead were **_not_** good signs. He must've run all the way here, too.

"Sanada, is it them?" Ikutsuki speaks up in fear.

"Yes, but it's not anything like a normal-" Everything shakes.

Damn it... the two guests!

"Chairman! Stay in the Operations Room! Takeba, wake those two up and get them out of here!" Her tone is hard and commanding, her eyes dead on the two.

"What about you two?!" Takeba looks at her with sheer terror in those bright eyes, which almost makes her feel bad about this decision. But this is for the best.

"We'll hold them off no matter what the cost!"

* * *

Everything creaks and groans in the building as Yukari-san drags herself and the two very tired twins up each flight of stairs.  
Whatever is going on, they need to get out of here, and right now! Kotone doesn't even know half the truth and even she knows that what's going on right now is dangerous!

So why has her brother stopped at a window?!

"The moon.." He murmurs, eyes leaving the two girls in front of him and instead focusing on the bright green moon.

"What are you doing?!" The two girls yell at him in almost perfect synchronisation.

"Our lives are in danger! Do you want to die?!" Yukari-san's entire body shakes, though whether it's out of anger or fear, she simply doesn't know.

And with those words from their friend, her brother says something that breaks her heart in two.

"I don't really care." He turns his head back towards them, dark eyes unfeeling. She can't read him now... She's never seen this side of her brother. "Is dying really that scary to you?"

Anything else that's spoken about becomes white noise. Her brother... doesn't care? Doesn't he want to live for their parents? How could he just say that, right in front of her?! Doesn't he know how much she worries, how much she cares about him?! And yet the idea of dying isn't that important to him?! It doesn't even warrant a real answer other than his usual 'I don't care'?! Her blood boils. She wants to slap her brother really hard for saying that, she wants to scream at him about how dare he say that when they have to live no matter what.

But she doesn't get to, as a gianourmous _monster_ watches them through a window.

"What... is that?!" Her brother doesn't say a thing, but the two girls react in almost the exact same way.  
With fear.

The window smashes, and with a " ** _Watch out!_** " from Yukari-san, her brother is pushed from danger. This monster really wants to kill them! Every part of her wants this to be a dream, but somehow, she just gets this feeling like it's not. This is reality. The dormitory's window was just smashed open by a horrifying sludge creature, and Yukari-san has cut open her leg.

"Stand up!" She screams at the top of her lungs, dragging Minato by the arms. "Quickly, the two of you! To the roof!"

She doesn't need to be told twice.

"I _can't_ die here! I don't know anything yet! I don't _want_ to die!" That must've been her answer to his question.

They open the roof's door, panting and sweating all over. This wasn't how any of them wanted to spend their Thursday night.

"Are you both-" Another crash interrupts them, and the monster begins to climb up, on top of the roof. Right to where they are. "No way!"

It has swords. It's ready to kill them.

This is where they die.

* * *

"Run!"

The two hesitate, as the uniform clad girl steps in front of them protectively, and0 undoes her holster, pulling the gun out. She's not going to fight it is she? But, instead of pointing the weapon at the monster, she points it to her head.

"Stop it!" Kotone screeches, scarlet eyes wide with horror. She's going to kill herself, after everything she just said?! She can't, she can't!

She's slammed away like a bug by one of the monster's many hands before she pulls the trigger. And it turns to finish the job.

Her eyes squeeze shut.

She hears footsteps, closer than the monster's, too few to be the monster's. Her brother? He picks up the gun, almost hyperventilating.

And aims it to his head, a grin on his face.

" _Pe...r...so...na!_ " He pulls the trigger, and there's a flash of blue light.

* * *

POSES... i gotta go to dancing now!  
maybe when i get back i might write more?  
not post it tho i'll do that tomorrow i have a #schedule

anyway, the femc's relationship with fuuka is one of my favourites  
(along with a certain ship that'll be cooked as slow as possible in this and femc and junpei's friendship)  
so i ended up placing her in fuuka's class.  
both bc i like fuuka and also bc i dont see the school placing them both in the one class.

hope y'all enjoyed, i'm writing more and more as i'm beginning to figure out what to write


	5. the velvet room (chapter 4)

this chapter is short as fuck bc the next one will be long af  
anyway welcome to the climax kids it's really short just like how the battle is in game

* * *

This is... his Persona.

 _ **"I am thou.. Thou art me.. I am come from the seas of thy heart.."**_ Shimmering, glimmering blue light takes complete and utter control of the area surrounding the summoner, as a large figure begins to form itself behind his body. Silver and red... with a large lyre on it's back.

 _ **"I am the Master of Strings... Orpheus!"**_

It stands tall and proud in the moonlight, loudly exclaiming just who it is to the high heavens, red eyes glowing menacingly. It certainly captures the attention of that monster, who stops stalking it's way over to the collapsed Yukari, turning and expressing confusion in the only way it knows how. It attacks, brandishing it's many swords and swinging at the gigantic beast, who elegantly moves out of the way, only to smash down it's lyre atop the mass of black sludge.

A loud screech leaves Orpheus' mouth, followed by the loudest explosions.

And a raging _fire_.

 **How ironic** , Minato thinks, his breathing still haggard and his eyes dead on the two battling monsters. He simply needs to keep thinking of commands, and his Persona attacks. And it attacks with a ferocity, spewing fire and slamming down it's weapon as hard as it can. The stage has been set; everything is exactly like that night. The fire, the sound of clashing metal, someone injured on the floor and he's unable to help.

All he can do is continue commanding attacks, and all Orpheus is able to do is continue setting the world on fire.  
He can barely hear the exploding air over his breathing.

The two creatures stare down.

 _His head hurts._

Orpheus howls in pain, clutching it's own head just like it's summoner, as though the pain they feel is synched. Everything is buzzing, _everything is hurting_. He needs to make it stop! Why wont it stop? Why does everything hurt?! He feels like his brain is about to burst, his hands tug and pull on dark blue strands of hair, desperate for a distraction from the anguishing pain in his mind.

With a yell, his Persona is torn open from the inside, and out comes the demon from that night.

It screeches, it's voice like that of a demonic entity, standing amidst fire, the moon's eery green glow highlighting it's every horrific feature.

This one... he can't command. It's like he has no control, all he can to is collapse to his knees and watch as the demon tears apart the monster, limb from limb. It slashes, and grabs at anything loose, ripping it off and crushing it between it's claw like hand, leaving behind only a blood like substance to dribble down into large pools on the rooftop.

It nears the sludge monster with an incredible speed, slashing down the middle with a disgusting squelch, leaving behind only flailing remains, which are quickly disposed of with a crunch underneath it's feet.

And as quickly as it appeared, it fades away, leaving only Orpheus' outline.

Minato collapses.

* * *

The soft keys of a piano play, a woman's operatic voice harmonising in perfect sync, their volume almost on par with the elevator continuing to drop further and further down levels.  
Shades of nothing but a violent blue and black.  
A large table, a horrendously old man and a silvery haired woman.

This is... that place in his dreams.

"So we meet again," The old man speaks in that easy to recognise voice, one he's only ever heard inside of his mind. He signed the contract, so he's allowed to enter this room... This man is.. Igor, from memory. Which leaves the woman beside him as Elizabeth. They gave him a key, telling him that when the time was ready, he'll be able to come here of his own free will. It's slowly returning to him. "Oh, your awakened power is Orpheus, is it? I see.. how fascinating."

In front of him, lying face up on the table is a single tarot card, with a man drawn about to step off a cliff, and the number zero beneath it.

"He is a power called Persona. Your alter ego, another side of yourself." Igor rambles on, his bulging eyes watching every movement over that ridiculous nose. "A Persona is the personality that you present to the world outside yourself. You may think of it as an armoured mask that you put on to face your hardships."

A smile forms on his wrinkly face. "That said, your power is still weak at the moment."

Elizabeth speaks up, adjusting the way she stands to show off the large, and heavy looking book in her arms.

"As luck would have it, our guest, you appear to have the ability to gain new ones. Every time you emerge victorious in these hardships, you will gain new powers."

He has.. the ability to summon more than one Persona, if he's understanding these two vague individuals correctly. That would explain what happened before he awakened here, but it doesn't explain who or what that _thing_ that burst out of Orpheus was, and why it took on the shape of the creature from that night.

They clearly don't seem to be willing to explain it to him.

"Well, some time has passed in the reality you call home. We mustn't keep you any longer."

"We eagerly await your next visit."

With those words from his two acquaintances, he begins to feel his conscious fade, the melodic rhythm of the elevator the pair occupy slowly becoming a drumming white noise in his head as he begins to enter the real world once again. Part of him wants to stay, and receive more answers from the cryptic duo in blue, but he knows that the has no time left for any of that. He'll have to ask when he returns again.

For now, he must return to reality.

* * *

asdnwnf next chapter will be kotone-centric?  
shes not even our main mc but u can tell i love her more  
anyway next chapter will take place during the week that minato's fuccin dead

enjoy that one


	6. sees (chapter 5)

Her thin frame collapses against the door behind her, sliding down it in an attempt to use it as a support.  
Her eyes never leave her brother's back. All she can see is the flames, the smoke. The shades of red and green.  
And the monster she remembers too well from that night.

Why, _why is it here today_?! That thing, _that thing_ came out of no where before the car- _before the car_!

Everything is going so fast, she can barely wrap her mind around it. A monster attacked the dorm, they were woken up and quickly rushed out of their rooms and to the rooftop, Yukari-san was injured.. And her brother pointed a gun at his head and pulled the trigger. She just doesn't know what's going on. Everything has been hidden from her and her brother, and it seems the only way they'll ever find out the truth is with this incident.  
She just wishes they were told everything before something out of her deepest, darkest nightmares decided to walk the earth.

Her breathing is weak, her shoulders heaving up and down, her eyes wide with absolute terror.  
Everything only begins to calm once her brother collapses on the ground, the monster fading off into streams of blue light. She's so, so thankful that everything seems over, with the exception of the smoke billowing high into the sky, and the fire burning across the roof top.

Yukari-san and her brother are injured! She's only shaken up, so she forces herself to stand. She needs to be useful, for once in her life. She needs to find Kirijo-senpai, surely she would know what to do. It seemed like she was the one in charge around here, so surely, surely she knows what to do.

Pulling open the rooftop's door, she begins to walk down the staircase, only to be met by three people rushing their way up.

"Arisato!" Kirijo-senpai. Thank goodness. "Are you okay?"

Racing up the staircase behind her are two men, one much older and the other around their age, though he's clearly injured. She doesn't know either of these two, but she presumes the younger man was the final resident of the dormitory.

"Um, Yukari-san's injured, but I think she's still conscious.. but.. Minato's passed out! I don't.. I don't know what to do, so I thought I should find you, Kirijo-senpai.." Gosh, that sounds so pathetic said out loud. "Just what's going on? I think.. we deserve an answer."

Kirijo-senpai sighs, crossing her arms and looking down for a moment. She's clearly trying to decide whether or not she wants to answer this question. What's so hard to answer, though? All she needs to do is explain what's going on! She clearly seems to know something! She's standing next to someone who's clutching his chest, which seems to be stained with blood, for crying out loud! She can't hide everything forever, eventually, she'll need to come clean!

"We need to get the injured to the hospital first." The older man speaks up, and immediately Kotone can't trust him. Sure, he's with Kirijo-senpai, but something about him just seems... off. But what he's saying makes sense. "Sanada-kun and Takeba-kun are injured, correct? And your brother is unconscious. You'll get your answers once everyone has been taken care of."

She wants to argue back, but she really can't. Everyone needs medical attention as soon as possible.

* * *

 _April 10th, 2009.  
Early Morning._

Her brother hasn't woken up yet. The senior boy has several broken ribs. Yukari-san came out of it the least injured, with a large gash on her side and a slight concussion. Kotone almost feels guilty that she came out of it unscratched, although she's still a little shaken.  
She hasn't left the hospital since they showed up. This is almost nostalgic, but the last time they were in this hospital, she was the one lying in the bed.

The power of the Kirijo name was insane. They showed up way past midnight, with three injured teenagers, and they weren't asked a single question. No _'what happened?!'_ or anything. They were just taken to these nice, fancy rooms and had a doctor's attention. She was grateful, but it was just ridiculously intimidating.

Speak of the devil, in comes Kirijo-senpai, the other senior close on her heels. Should he be moving around if his ribs are broken?

"You wanted some answers, right? Well, we're here to give them."

Well.. her worries can wait until she gets some answers.

"I'd like to know the truth." It takes as much strength as she has to give her answer, her eyes are hard as she tries keeping eye contact with the two intimidating seniors in her presence. She needs to be seen as strong. She wont find out anything if she's perceived as a weak little girl. "Please, tell me as much as you can."

With a sigh, the redhead begins. "Would you believe me if I told you there was more than twenty four hours?"

"Excuse me?" That sounds like something a crazy person would say.

"Do you remember the night you came here? You _had_ to have noticed the signs." Kirijo-senpai stresses her words. "The streetlights went out.. Nothing was working... There was coffins everywhere... Didn't it feel like you were in a different time? That's the Dark Hour; a time period hidden between one day and the next."

Suddenly, everything begins to make sense. The uneasiness she felt every night since the accident, why everything would go quiet and take on a terrifying appearance. The occasional screaming she heard must have been from people being.. attacked by that.. thing that attacked them last night. That's at least one question answered.

"It's.. hidden?"

"It's more like normal people aren't aware of it." The senior who has yet to introduce himself speaks up. "Since they're all asleep inside their coffins."

"And.. you are?"

"Sanada Akihiko." Right. There's a name to a face... he doesn't seem very .. talkative.

"But the Dark Hour does exist. It occurs each night, at midnight." Kirijo-senpai cuts in, continuing her explanation. "It'll happen tonight, and every night to come."

"That's not what makes the Dark Hour so interesting." A smirk forms on Sanada-senpai's lips, his voice taking a rather enthusiastic tone. "You saw those creatures. We call them 'Shadows'. They only appear during the Dark Hour, and they attack anyone not in a coffin. It's our job to defeat them. Sounds exciting, huh?"

"Akihiko! Why are you always like that?" These two certainly are close. "You've got several broken ribs!"

Still, this is heaps of information for her to take in.. There's a hidden hour at midnight, where monsters come about to attack people. And it's... a bunch of high school students' jobs to take care of defeating them? Shouldn't the military and the government step in? Or the police? Why do a group of teenagers need to do all the fighting around here?

Kirijo-senpai sighs. "Ignoring him, we're the **Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad**. We're just **SEES** for short. On paper, we're your regular school club, but in reality, this group is dedicated to defeating Shadows. I lead the group, and the older gentleman you met last night is our club advisor."

"Um.. I have a few questions.. One is.. what happens when the Shadows win?" Kotone has a feeling this is confidential information.. She hoped for answers, but now she's wondering why they're telling her _this_ much.

"A Shadow feeds on the mind of it's prey; the victim becomes a living corpse." She winces. That doesn't sound nice. "They're responsible for most of the incidents on the news, if not all of them."

"I see... and how do you all fight them?"

"Although they're rare, there are those who can function in the Dark Hour. Some of them even awaken a power that enables them to fight the Shadows. That's 'Persona', the power your brother used last night." The three turn their gaze briefly to the unconscious boy in the bed. "Shadows can only be defeated by Persona-users. We're the only ones who can do it."

The only ones who can do it... If she and her brother could function in the Dark Hour, and her brother was able to summon a Persona.. does that mean she can as well? It looks a little scary.. Yukari-san had that gun pointed at her head, which meant she could do it too, but she couldn't pull the trigger.  
Kotone's not sure she'd be able to pull it either.

Kirijo-senpai approaches a small table in the corner of the hospital room, placing a silver case down on the table.

"You have the potential as well. We'd like you to cooperate with us. Inside that box is an **Evoker**. It's how we summon our Personas."

A deep breath is sucked in, and she begins twiddling small thumbs between each other, deep in thought. If she joins, she'd be able to get strong enough to protect her brother, like he's done for her, right? And she'd be able to get answers as to what happened on that night, and why her brother summoned that.. monster. It's clearly dangerous, judging by Sanada-senpai's wounds, and the idea of pointing something like a gun at her head terrifies her, but ..

"Can I think about it?"

* * *

 _April 10th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

She was forced to leave the hospital by a tired looking nurse, so she now sits in silence inside her room at the dormitory. In front of her is the silver suitcase she was given, opened wide to reveal the glimmering metal of a brand new handgun looking tool, like the one Yukari-san had, and a red armband, the acronym for the group sewn onto it neatly. They really wanted her to join them, huh..

She looks at the clock, ticking away quietly. It's only ten, but she's now constantly checking the time. She has answers now, and she's able to tell when that time; the Dark Hour, occurs. She reaches for the gun, her hands shaking uncontrollably and picks it up, only to drop it on the floor.

"Damn it.." She's such a chicken. Picking it up, she stares at her reflection in the metal. It's distorted, but she can make out the red of her eyes and the auburn of her hair. She can even see the slight dark circles underneath. It's been nearly twenty four hours since she got proper sleep..

"I can do it.. I have the potential, after all.."

Slowly, she raises the gun to her temple, every part of her screaming to put it down, her arms quivering and her fingers unable to pull the trigger. All she can think of is how easily her brother pulled the trigger. He really isn't afraid of death... She can't help but be. She wants to live, after all. Live because she thinks the world is interesting, live because surely Mom and Dad would never forgive her if she didn't.

She puts the gun down, and shoves herself down onto the bed, lying her back against the wall. Maybe... maybe she's just so tired, she's unable to hold it properly.

Yeah.. that has to be it.

* * *

hooo boy! this was.. exposition hell.  
kotone learns the truth behind the dark hour, and is invited to join sees!  
she cant summon her persona yet tho... :^) i already have that plotted out.  
her persona will not be orpheus, that's her brothers.  
but, im a gross nerd for greek mythos and tarot cards and fortune telling,  
so i already have her arcana and initial persona ready!

hope y'all enjoyed this after that short and boring chapter last time


	7. a talk (chapter 6)

_April 19th, 2009.  
Morning.  
_

"Oh, he's awake!"

"You're awake!"

Two different girls' voices. His head is heavy, mind still a little tired from how much sleep he must have had. How long's he been out? Slowly, he turns his head turns to one side, to see who's here in this... white, antiseptic smelling room with him. He meets eyes with Yukari. Jeez... what's with the terrified expression on her face? He doesn't care what would've happened to him.. He just, couldn't stand seeing someone die in front of him again.

"Um, how do you feel?" Her soft brown eyes examine every inch of him, and he feels exposed. She just looks at him with such worry, it reminds him of how his damned sister would look at him. He's weak to that, loathe as he is to admit it. Speaking of Kotone.. she's standing by the door..

"Why are you here?" God, he needs a drink of water. His throat feels like a barren desert.

"Thank goodness, you finally came to.." She sighs, her voice filled with a relief he's never heard before. She's only ever spoken to him with distrust when they weren't at school. "I was _so_ worried about you... The doctor couldn't find anything wrong with you. He said you were just... exhausted.."

That makes a lot of sense.. What was it that he did again? Oh right, he summoned his Persona. It's slowly coming back to him now. The head splitting pain, his Persona becoming that.. monster, the creature that attacked the dormitory. Was he the only one injured in that? Was everyone else okay? Yukari and his sister look pretty healthy, so it seems like nobody else got too harmed.. He's grateful.

"Um.. I'm sorry I couldn't do anything." She smiles, her eyes lighting up in awe. "But your power.. it was amazing!"

"Just what was that?"

"... You mean the Shadows? They're.. what we're fighting against. And that power you used, we call it ' **Persona** '." She looks off, a guilty look on her face. Was she really that upset about all this? "We'll.. explain everything later. I'm sorry we didn't tell you anything."

Her fingers pull at the loose threads on her skirt. "I, uh... I wanted to tell you, _tell you both_ , that.. I'm sorta like you."

"I'm sorry?"

"What do you mean?"

If there was one thing that made the twin's look similar, it was their faces when puzzled. Their heads tilt slightly, lips pursed and eyes wide with curiosity to the answer. They've always shared that similar expression, and now, staring at Yukari, it was no different.

"My dad died in an accident when I was little.. And my mom and I aren't exactly on good terms... You two.. are all alone as well, right?" They have each other, but he understands what she's trying to say. "To be honest... I already know all about what happened.. in your past. But, it didn't seem fair, so I wanted you two to know about mine."

He slowly pulls himself up into a sitting position, trying to seem more polite while listening to her speak.

"It was back in '99.. There was a big explosion, in the area. Supposedly, my dad died in the blast, but nobody really knows what happened." Ah.. The same year as his family's accident. What a coincidence. "He was working in a lab run by the Kirijo Group. So, I'm hoping if I stick around long enough, I'll find something out. That's why I'm going to Gekkoukan High, and why I was there when this happened to you."

She laughs, clearly in clear contempt for herself. "I wasn't much help though.. I panicked. It was my first time fighting them, too. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault."

"Look at me, telling you all this the minute you wake up! I was thinking while waiting for you to wake up... _'I've been hiding so much from him, as soon as he wakes up, I'll tell him the truth'_. So thanks for listening to me, the both of you. I've... wanted to share that story with someone for a long time." Yukari smiles. "I feel like I can trust you two with that information."

Kotone quickly opens the door, and half steps out. "Oh! I'll go tell our Senpai that he's awake! Yukari-san, are you going to come along?"

The girl nods, and quickly follows along, waving with a soft ' **Bye** ' on her rose coloured lips.

God, he needs a drink.

* * *

 _April 20th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

"Yo, Minato!" Ah. It's the goatee. Iori Junpei, was it? He was so loud and up in his face it was hard to forget. "Where've you been? Your sister said you had a stomach bug or somethin'. Well, anyway, I got somethin' to tell ya."

It's too early for someone to be this damned upbeat. No wonder he and his sister seemed to hit it off. "You're certainly energetic."

"Dude, I'm juuust fine! Forget the ol' Junpei. This is the _**real**_ me! You gotta cheer up too man, you've got _**me**_ for a friend, after all!" A large hand smacks him right on the back, nearly knocking him right over. Jesus Christ, can he hit any harder?!

"Sheesh, someone's full of energy today... We could hear you from all the way over there." Here comes Yukari, his sister close at her side. The two seemed to have become pretty close while he was asleep, huh? Well.. it had been like, ten days. No wonder they'd spent heaps of time together.

"Huh? Why'd you three all come separately if you live in the same dorm?"

"Ugh, we're tired of hearing you talk about that."

"Iori-kun just likes to know what's going on around him, is all! Of course, since he can't pick up on much of it." Kotone laughs lightly, earning a grumble from the baseball cap wearing teenager.

"Oh right, Arisato-kun. Sorry to spring this on you, but Ikutsuki-san, um, he's our... dorm manager... wants to talk to you today. So, come to the fourth floor after school, okay? Don't forget."

He'll never be able to get a word in with these people around... All he can do is nod and grunt out answers when he can. It works well enough for him, who prefers to leave all the talking to his sister anyway.

* * *

 _Evening._

He walks up the stairs at a brisk pace, not in the mood to be scolded by his sister for being late to some.. important meeting or whatever this is. There's only one room on the fourth floor, hard to miss thanks to the huge pair of double doors that lead into it.  
He opens the door.

Inside is Yukari, Kirijo, an unfamiliar male student, and an older man. The older man must be Ikutsuki. His long, stringy brown hair.. shady looking glasses and half beard.. he's kinda... gross looking.

"Ah, there you are." Ikutsuki smiles, sitting with his legs crossed in a polite manner. "I'm glad you're okay. The reason I asked you here, is because I wanted to talk to you. Please, sit down."

Slowly, he moves towards the large and rather expensive looking lounge, sitting down at the very end, just beside his sister. In front of him stands Kirijo, a large silver case by her side.

"Oh, right. This is Sanada Akihiko. He also lives in this dormitory." So this is the elusive final member of the dormitory. A fairly attractive looking young man, with a confident aura to him. He smiles, giving a quick wave with a gloved hand.

"How ya doin'?"

"Let me start by asking you this... Would you believe any of us if we said there was more than the usual twenty four hours?"

* * *

another short chapter but i didnt want to be repetitive and have to explain everything all over again  
so! to answer the last question i got!  
kotone's role in this, and what she'll contribute, while unclear at this moment, will shine through as the plot moves along  
the reason i started this fic was to see how having family left would affect the male mc and his choices!  
as for if there'll be any pairings... the answer is yes!  
this fic, while a bit dark (like the game itself) will have heavy focuses on the characters and their interactions and relationships.  
one of my favourite things whilst playing the game was how the group's dynamic evolved.

i already have around.. 3 pairings picked out (one being junpei/chidori, since its required for plot purposes)  
but the other two i'll keep a secret until they begin developing more!  
i actually dont have one for minato yet, he's a little hard to pair off! please give some suggestions!

i hope you enjoyed this.. very dialogue heavy chapter


	8. the fool arcana (chapter 7)

_April 20th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

He sits there in silence as everything is explained to him. Just what this group is, why it exists, what the Shadows do and are.. He can't say he understands all of it, but he gets the gist and the point they're trying to get across. Shadows bad, SEES good. Not too hard to understand, and he can see why he's being told all this. He can summon a Persona with little problems, and doesn't seem to mind whether or not he gets killed in battle. He's a perfect candidate.

His eyes briefly meet with the scarlet eyes of his younger twin sister. If she's here as well, he has little doubt that they asked her to join them as well. He's... not sure how he feels about that. Sure, he doesn't care if he goes off and gets himself killed, but if his sister died fighting some insane monster all for the sake of stopping some.. pandemic, he's not sure if he could ever forgive himself.  
He's not sure if his parents would ever forgive him.

"If I join you all.." He begins slowly, catching the attention of each and every person inside the large room. "What happens to Kotone..?"

Kirijo purses her lips, her dark eyes moving from the expressionless face of Minato, to the anxious one of the girl beside him. Had she not thought of an answer to this question? She always seemed like she overly prepared for things like this, so it would be a real-

"She displays the potential as well. Ideally, we'd like both of you to join our cause." Never mind then. "She isn't able to summon hers quite yet, but with a bit of work, she'll soon be able to do it."

He opens his mouth to refuse, but his sister glares at him. Does she want to do this?! Surely she knows how dangerous this sounds! She's got to be joking!

"He'll do it. I will too."

Ikutsuki looks at him, that damned smile on his face, eyebrow quirked up, and all Minato can do is nod in agreement. He's trapped now, there's no turning back from this point onwards. Besides, it's not exactly like he has anything better to do. If only a select few can truly be active during this.. Dark Hour that he's experienced every night of his life for the past ten years, and even fewer can summon a Persona like he can, then he may as well join them. He'll never hear the end of it otherwise.

"Well then, welcome to SEES. As for your dormitory placement.. You may as well just stay here, in your current rooms. I don't know what the holdup is, but I guess it's all worked out in the end!" He laughs. Damn this man, he's planned this entire thing! There was probably never intention to put them in the regular dorms! It was just a trick to have them somewhere observable!

And with those words from the older gentlemen, something forms inside of him.

 **The Fool Social Link.**

* * *

 _April 20th, 2009.  
Dark Hour._

He's starting to finally fall asleep after tossing and turning, when he feels something sitting at the bottom of his bed. Slowly, he sits up, meeting eyes with the young boy from his first day.

 **"Hi, how are you?"** That's.. not what you say to someone after invading their private space.

He's pretty pissed at being disturbed while finally drifting off, so he narrows his eyes and grunts out a simple, "Who are you."

 **"We've met before."** He giggles. Minato remembers they met before, it's hard to forget a child who fades into the darkness, one that nobody else has noticed. Is he a ghost or something? Don't tell him this dormitory is haunted as well as being the headquarters for a group of Shadow-hunting teenagers..

 **"Soon, the end will come. I remembered, so I thought I should tell you."**

"I don't care."

 **"Really?"** There's genuine surprise behind the boy's voice. **"..If you say so. To be quite honest, I can't tell you much about it yet."**

Then just go away and let him sleep.

 **"Oh, looks like you've awakened to your power. And what an unusual power it is.. A power that takes many forms, yet is bound by none.. It may prove to be your salvation, depending on where you end up."** Is every stranger going to be cryptic with him? **"Do you remember when we first met? I expect you to honour your commitment. I'll be watching you, even if you forget about me... Okay then, see you later."**

He disappears as fast as he came, leaving behind only what sounds like a warning and a very angry and very tired teenage boy.

* * *

 _April 21st, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

He's quickly caught up to by Yukari, who gives him a half smile and tucks strands of her light hair behind her ear.

"Thanks, for yesterday." For what now? It's not like he had a choice. "Sanada-senpai's injured too, Kotone can't summon her Persona yet, and I was really uneasy about working alone with Kirijo-senpai.." Yikes, so there is a bit of bad blood.

"Injury?"

"Yeah, Sanada-senpai was attacked by a Shadow the day you collapsed, too." He certainly didn't look very injured. "He said that he injured his ribs a little, but Kotone told me that he and Kirijo-senpai were arguing over it in front of her because he apparently broke them."

Ouch. Looks like Sanada's a real trooper, and not just a pretty face. Noted for later. If they're fighting Shadows, it seems like someone with Sanada's ability to take hits like that with a smile would be useful. Mitsuru probably knows that, if she was arguing with him over it, but it's still good to have info on everyone in the group.  
If he's going to be a member of SEES, he may as well take it seriously.

Speaking of Kotone, the younger twin runs over to the pair of classmates, holding onto a pair of neatly wrapped boxes.

"Found you! I made lunch for the both of you!" Yukari looks confused, and his sister explains. "Well, we live together, right? I don't want you spending heaps of money on terrible school lunches! I may not look it, but my cooking and baking skills are second to none! Um.. except for, actual professionals. Then I'm.. sorely left in the dust, haha.."

Why couldn't she give these to them at lunch? He's about to ask this, when his sister gives a quick wave goodbye, running back on ahead of the two.

"..Maybe she's doing something later?" He sort of hopes she's made friends in her own classroom. She acts all cheerful, but she's always gotten lonely quickly.

* * *

 _April 21st, 2009._  
 _After School._

Yukari yawns rather loudly, mumbling something about being ready to fall asleep in class. She stretches her arms high above her head, trying to get rid of any leftover sleep in her body. Junpei seems rather busy packing all his things into his bag, humming some sort of tune under his breath. It's catchy, and will probably be stuck in his head, but it's also annoying.  
Sort of like Junpei himself.

The sliding door to Class 2-F opens, and in comes Kirijo, standing awkwardly behind her like a maid in a fantasy story is Kotone.

"Come to the lounge when you get back to the dorm. I have something to tell everyone. I'll save the details for later. See you there." And with those words, she steps back out and walks off, leaving only the blank faced twin of his, and his and Yukari's thoughts as to just what's going on.

Kotone snaps out of her brief daze, though shock still paints her expression, stepping in quickly with her bag on her back.

"She was certainly direct.." She mumbles, looking back out the door, hoping she isn't heard by the senior.

"...That's it?" That's all he can respond with, both to his sister and to Kirijo's brief meeting.

Yukari scoffs. "She's probably busy with things like the Student Council, unlike us."

"Woah, Yukaricchi! You're gettin' a lil hostile there!" ... He was listening in too.

"It's not like I don't like her! She's just.." Minato feels like she's just lying between her teeth there.

"Intense?" His sister pipes up, using a word that's almost perfect for someone like the steely Kirijo.

"Ooh, Kocchan, that's a good word for it."

Today'll never end, will it?

* * *

 _Evening._

The three all enter the Operations Room quietly, to be met by the two seniors, as early as usual. It seemed like in SEES, Kirijo was the leader, which would make Sanada the de-facto vice captain. Though, he doubts that's actually the position he has. It's more likely than not that Kirijo makes all the decisions around here, and everyone just has to follow her orders..

"Welcome back." He's heard her say that four times now. Twice before he went into a brief coma, yesterday and now today. Is she trying to play up the homely feeling around here? Because it's not helping. Her authoritarian personality made this feel like an office, and he was some poor businessman dragged into a shitty, shitty, shitty group for some out of the whack business scheme. Only it's defeating terrifying monsters.

"We were waiting for you. There's someone I want to introduce." Sanada explains, his gaze turning towards the door. With some brief confused words from the three, he soon calls out, "Hey, hurry up!"

An all too familiar voice speaks up from outside the door. "Hold your horses! This is freakin' heavy.."

"No." Yukari almost immediately recognises it.

And walking in with a ridiculous smile on his face is Iori Junpei, the nosiest classmate he's ever come face to face with.

"What's up?"

"This is Iori Junpei, from Class 2-F. He'll be staying here as of today." Oh, joy.

The pink clad girl stands up, staring at the newcomer with utter disbelief. "You're living here starting today?! No way! It _has_ to be some mistake!"

"I bumped into him the other night. He's only recently awoken to it, but he definitely has the potential."

"Potential?! You're joking!"

Junpei places a hand on the back of his neck, laughing. "He found me bawling like a baby in a minimart full of coffins."

"Did you get lost?" Minato speaks up. Somehow, he can see Junpei being a lost child. One whose parents need to have those backpacks with leashes on them.

"Oh no.. Maybe we need a tracker for Iori-kun!" His sister speaks next.

"I wasn't lost!" He coughs, and continues on as if he hadn't been interrupted. "He said that was completely normal, in the beginning. This is textbook Persona-user stuff! Didn't you know that?"

Ah. Now that he thinks about it, for a long time after the accident, his sister would sob her eyes out in confusion at the Dark Hour. He thought she might've remembered something related to the incident, but was it just because she was disorientated, due to this... ' _textbook Persona-user stuff_ '? Well, this would've been great knowledge ten years ago. Little him would've really liked having this.. textbook.. so he knew how to stop his little sister from crying every single night. All he had ever been able to do was hold her and comfort her back to sleep.

"... I see."

"Man, was I shocked to find out about you guys! I had absolutely no idea." He grins. "Glad I'm not the only one. Could get kinda lonely, y'know? And I bet you're all stoked too, right?! Havin' me join..."

Yukari scoffs loudly, and all Kotone can do is giggle a little.

"In any case, we've assembled a suitable force now. We can finally begin."

And in walks the shadiest man on this planet, Ikutsuki.

* * *

writing ikutsuki is the worst thing on earth im cutting this chapter off there  
wow! u review real quick! i do agree with ur points!  
but i'll keep whether or not minato'll actually get paired off a secret for now!  
so, next chapter is where everything will finally get rolling!  
the good thing about this being a fanfic is that the game mechanics of only four party members #do not apply

the next two chapters'll be kotone centric!  
i've decided the way this'll work is every two chapters we'll switch perspectives!

a lot of these beginning chapters will be dialogue heavy,  
thanks to a lot of the explaining done within the month of april in game  
none the less, i hope you can all get thru it + my shitty writing!  
is been a while since i wrote a full fledged fanfic lmao.

maybe i'll even squeeze out a third chapter tonight!

until next time!


	9. tartarus (chapter 8)

"I'd like your undivided attention, please." The chairman sits down in the single sofa, and everyone turns their gazes onto him. "For a long time, Kirijo-kun and Sanada were the only two Persona-users we had. But now, our number's jumped to six. Therefore... Starting tonight, at twelve am, I'd like to commence the exploration of Tartarus."

"Tartarus..? What's that? Sounds like a toothpaste brand." She can always trust Iori-kun to say something silly to liven the atmosphere.

"You haven't seen it, Junpei?" Yukari-san speaks up next, and immediately Kotone wants to know what she's missing out on here. It seems like the three newcomers are the only ones left in the dark as to what this... Tartarus was.

"It's no surprise.. since it only appears during the Dark Hour." Ikutsuki shrugs, giving the baseball wearing teenager a small look.

"The Dark Hour..?"

"Just like the Shadows.. Interesting, huh?" It seemed like Sanada-senpai took this like a game, almost.. "And it's the perfect place for us to train. You can just think of it as a Shadow nest."

"Whoa... Their nest, huh?"

She can feel the goosebumps forming on her skin at those words. Every part of this.. mission sounds dangerous. And she can't even summon her own Persona yet... just what use is she going to be to the group? Sanada-senpai had told her a few days ago that if they went on any missions, they'd be equipped with special weapons made to take down weaker Shadows, but that just made her feel a little ... weak. No matter what she does, she wont be on anyone else's level unless she pulls the trigger.

She has to stop chickening out.

"Kotone." Her brother's voice. Everyone is already getting up to leave, minus the chairman... and herself. Oh, woops.. she zoned out during their conversation. "We're leaving now. Are you coming?"

"Oh, right! Sorry!" She laughs weakly, standing up. "Chairman, you aren't coming?"

He laughs. "I'm not like you kids, I can't summon a Persona."

And in a way, he seems almost angry about that.

* * *

The group of six stands outside of the front gate to Gekkoukan High, each one wearing their uniforms and holding a weapon of some kind. Yukari-san has her grip on a bow, the quiver strapped to her back. Iori-kun's got some sort of sword, though it seems too heavy to pick up with one hand, unlike her brother's much lighter and slimmer one.  
She looks up at the curved blade of the ko-naginata she was given, eyes watching how the silvery moonlight bounced off it's shiny metal. Soon, it wont be so pretty. Soon, that glow will be disgustingly horrifying.

Subconsciously, her hand reaches for the Evoker inside the holster at her waist.

"Um.. isn't this just the school?" Iori-kun almost sounds disappointed.

"Just shush and watch. It's almost midnight." Well, they have no choice but to trust in Sanada-senpai, huh..

The Dark Hour begins, and there's a loud crashing sound. The school begins to shift shapes, parts of it begin to stick out the ground, growing as tall as a skyscraper. It twists and turns, adding on different parts that surely were never apart of the original building. More and more buildings and parts of it are added on, and each time, the school creaks with this haunted tone, until it finally stops it's growing, it's peak reaching the moon itself.

Kirijo-senpai speaks up. "This is Tartarus. A labyrinth that only appears during the Dark Hour."

"This is probably where we'll find the key to solving the mystery behind the Dark Hour."

"True, it's awfully suspicious that a tower would only appear during the Dark Hour." Yukari-san looks up at the sprawling tower, leaning her head back to truly get a full view of the entire thing.

"What are you all talking about?! What happened to our school?!" The second year boy almost screeches it out.

"Once the Dark Hour passes, everything returns to normal." The redhead tears her gaze away to respond to Iori-kun's obviously important questions.

"This is the 'nest' you were all talking about?!" He's clearly in disbelief. "But, why?! Why'd our school turn into a giant tower?!"

Kirijo-senpai doesn't respond, and Kotone makes a mental note to remember that.

"You don't know, either?"

"...No."

"Well, maybe now we'll find out. Mitsuru and I have only gone in to take a peek; this'll be our first time exploring it." Well, at least one of them is excited over this. "Exciting, isn't it? There has got to be some sort of clue in here about the Dark Hour..."

"Akihiko, I respect your enthusiasm, but you won't be accompanying us today."

"I know.. you don't have to keep reminding me."

They all enter the tower.

* * *

"Why don't you four have a look around?" Sanada-senpai says, as they all enter the labyrinth's entrance.

"What?! By ourselves?!" Yukari obviously doesn't seem to enjoy this idea.

"We're not asking you to go very far, and I'll be feeding you information from here." Kirijo-senpai explains.

"We're also going to appoint a leader, to make any necessary decisions."

"For real?" Iori-kun suddenly perks up. ".. One of us? Oh! Oh! Me me me! Pick me!"

Sanada-senpai audibly groans at this. "Minato, you're in charge."

"W-wait! Why him?! He doesn't look like a leader!"

Her brother clicks his tongue, and she can almost hear the words about to leave his mouth. ' _What a pain_ ', he'll say, but he always does it.

"Well, he's fought them before." The bow wielding girl points out.

"Seriously?!"

"That's true, but there's another reason. You three..." Dark grey stare down herself and the two bickering amongst themselves, and suddenly Kotone feels very small. "Can you summon your Persona without any difficulties, like he can?"

"Well, yeah, of course I can!"

"I think so."

She stays silent.

Suddenly it's like he's talking only to her. "These are Shadows we're talking about here. Without your Persona, you're screwed."

"Then, perhaps Arisato should stay here with us, Akihiko." Kirijo-senpai says that, and her blood runs cold.

"No! I want to go with everyone else!" Perhaps it's childish of her, but she argues back. She wants to go with everyone else. How else is she going to be able to do anything if she's hanging back here all the time, letting everyone else do things for her?! "Senpai, please! Let me go with them!"

The two share a look, and Kirijo-senpai sighs.

* * *

"Persona!" There's a loud click, and a flash of blue light. Out comes Orpheus, her brother's Persona. It slams down it's lyre atop a blob looking Shadow, similar to the one they'd seen on the rooftop that night, before fading back out.

These weapons.. allow them to deal physical damage to Shadows. Not all Shadows are weak to physical attacks, though...

With a cry, she slashes down hard onto the dizzy Shadow her brother had attacked, defeating it with that final attack. But there's still more coming for them, and Iori-kun runs forward, and slams his sword into a Shadow like a baseball bat.

 _"During the Dark Hour, Persona-users' physical abilities are boosted somewhat."_ Kirijo-senpai's voice can be heard like over a speaker, telling them information just like she had promised to. Even someone like her, who hasn't been able to summon her Persona yet, can feel the affects of this 'boost'.

"Hit home!" Yukari cries, pulling the string back and letting the arrow fly off into the body of a flying, tree stump like Shadow.

 _"Weaker Shadows should be able to be defeated with just those weapons."_

Another group of Shadows approaches, and immediately an intense pressure takes on the air. She immediately takes a few steps back, and grabs for the Evoker's holster at her side. The others seem to have a similar idea, as Iori-kun pulls his out and aims it immediately for his head.

"Just watch and learn! This is my grand debut!" He pulls the trigger, and there's another bright flash of light. His Persona is tall and lean, with metallic golden wings and a helmet. It speeds forward, slashing open several of the Shadows with it's razor sharp 'feathers'.

"I can do it too!" Yukari-san screams this, her hands shaking as she aims the Evoker for her head and shoots. Another blinding blue glimmer, and out comes a much more feminine figure than the previous two Persona, it's long blonde hair flowing upwards as it sits atop a cow's head. There's a green glow, and a thrashing of wind picks up around another group of Shadows, taking them down, too.

If she didn't know how dangerous these things were, she would call their entries and attacks beautiful. An ethereal dance of different colours and shapes, an elegance to it that almost reminds her of a ballet she saw in the past. Yes, the way the Personas and their respective summoners executed their attacks was like a dramatic ballet, one that would end in the protagonist's death.

"Ta da da da! I just leveled up!"

 _"Looks like you're not completely useless."_

"You bet! With me along, this is a piece of cake!"

Kotone breathes a sigh of relief, and her pale fingers retreat from where they'd been twitching at her own Evoker.

"Still, this is real convenient, hearing you directly in our head's like this, Kirijo-senpai."

 _"With my Persona ability, this is the best I can do, even with an amplifier."_

There's a sudden shaking, and immediately everyone gets on guard. She stands completely still, both hands on the handle of her naginata, holding it in a guarding position.

"What is that?!" She shrieks, the sound of _something_ approaching beginning to overtake her own voice.

"I don't know!" Yukari responds back, clearly just as on edge.

Her brother looks up, and murmurs ever softly. "It's coming."

A giant Shadow jumps down in front of them. It appears to be on wheels of some sort, or at least rolling around, covered in spikes. It's body is silver and yellow, and it almost looks armoured.

 _"Watch out! That one's a powerful one!"_

"We don't need you to tell us that!" The archer snaps.

Iori-kun is the first to jump into action, his evoker at his temple again. "Hermes!"

Once again, his Persona speeds on towards the Shadow, but is quickly deflected off like nothing more than a mere bug. It bounces off, and fades back into light, leaving behind a very disgruntled teenage boy cursing under his breath.

Soon, Yukari's on the attack. "Help us out, Io!"

Her own Persona shows up again, sending out more waves of uncontrollable hurricane force wind, but the Shadow practically brushes it all off, beginning to spin around on the spot. Like a spinning top, it approaches Io at an astonishing speed, knocking back the Persona right into it's owner, even bringing back Iori-kun with them.

 _"Takeba! Iori!"_ Kirijo-senpai clearly sounds stressed. _"Arisato! Try to change the tides of this battle!"_

"Understood." He runs forward, and aims his Evoker at his head, summoning his Persona repeatedly. He bashes and lets flames take control of the area, dodging every single attack as fast as he can.

One last time, he summons his Persona.

"Orpheus!" There's another explosion of flames, and the Shadow is taken down.

"Arisato-kun!" Yukari cries, running towards her brother, who was now stumbling a bit. He overexerted himself, again. "Don't go crazy with your attacks!"

All Kotone could do was stand by and watch, feeling utterly helpless. Beside her, Iori-kun clenches his fist, biting his lower lip hard enough to draw blood, a jealous tone entering his voice as he mutters to himself.

"What the hell... I could've done that too."

And in a way, she knows how he feels.

* * *

 _April 22nd, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

"Morning. I didn't know we were on the same train." She squeaks with surprise when she's suddenly approached, onto to turn and realise it's just another one of her dorm mates, Sanada-senpai.

"Ah, good morning! I completely didn't notice you either, haha." She's still not quite sure how to deal with her seniors. She was told to just 'hang out' with them, which would imply friendly relations, but everything felt so forced and stiff she felt a little awkward being anything but polite. "How're you feeling? You hurt your ribs, right?"

"Doin' a bit better, I have a check up in a few days." He rolls his shoulder and sighs. He'd displayed a desire to get back into fighting, and it was no clearer now that they were talking about the very thing holding him back. "But man.. things have been real crazy these past couple days.. Are you alright? You must be confused, since you just transferred here."

That surprises her, just a little. "I am... Thing have been a little hectic, but we just have to charge right on in!"

Yeah, that sounded pretty cool. As the only one in the group still unable to summon her Persona, she has to put on a strong face. Try and hide the fact the only thing holding her back now was herself.

"Haha, that's good then. I'm glad you're doing good. If I could, I'd take over for you and your brother... but I can't. God, I'm so bored that I feel like I'm dying." Talking to him like this doesn't make the intimidating boxer Sanada-senpai seem all that scary.. Maybe she was wrong to judge? "Well, tell your brother I'm sorry for dumping the leadership role on him, he'll be stuck in it for a while.. Still, the way you fought yesterday was pretty impressive, especially since you can't summon yours yet."

"Ah, thank you!" Her cheeks flush. Being praised feels nice, even though she's not on anyone else's level..

* * *

There had been an assembly this morning. Despite how tired they all were, they were obviously forced to go. A student stands up at the podium, clearing reading off a list of things she's supposed to be saying, her eyes never meeting the crowd once.

"Please welcome the new Student Council President, Kirijo Mitsuru, of Class 3-D."

The redhead takes the speaker's place on stage, her confidence oozing as she thanks the girl and takes up the microphone. There's some murmuring around, and not too far ahead she can hear Yukari gossiping to Minato and Iori-kun.

"So, she _did_ get elected." Her voice carries a little scorn, enough that Kotone could hear it from her seat in Class 2-E. "Well, she _is_ the most popular girl in school."

"You can say that again!" Iori-kun, this time. He doesn't know how to be quiet. "There's like, some kind of aura around her. Besides, this school's owned by the Kirijo Group, right?"

Her attention turns back to Kirijo-senpai, who begins her speech. "As I begin my term as Student Council President, I'd like to share my vision for this coming year. It is my first belief that each of us must accept the responsibility of bettering our school. However, change cannot occur without sustained effort and an unprecedented level of commitment. _That_ is why we must restructure our daily lives to accommodate this lofty role. I'd like each of you to dig deeply into your well of motivation, and re-evaluate your convictions... To imagine a bold new future without loosing sight of the realities around you. _That is the key_. I am certain that many of you have your own visions of the future... For us to reap the full benefits of our education, your participation, ideas, and enthusiasm are essential. Thank you."

There's a round of applause, and all Kotone can do is sit there, jaw dropped. Everyone around her was absolutely incredible. Kirijo Mitsuru was beautiful, smart and strong.. Takeba Yukari was cute, fun and talented.. Sanada Akihiko was attractive, confident and powerful.. Even Iori Junpei had talents. He could cheer anyone up, he could ease the air in the otherwise butter thick tension of the dormitory. And her brother.. He was everything she wasn't.

He could do anything.

* * *

 _April 22nd, 2009.  
After School._

She and her brother met up with Junpei outside of the school, and decided to go home together. Or at least, they were, if there wasn't such a large commotion going on around the gate.

One girl squeals at the top of her lungs, "Look! It's Akihiko-senpai!"

Oh.

Another one excitedly approaches the figure standing by the front gate. "Wait for us!"

She can almost hear the groan leaving her poor senior's lips. Yikes.. she wouldn't like being popular very much. The group of girls crowding around him like a swarm of bees was terrifying. Not to mention, they were loud, with their incessant screeching. Her fingers twirl around the cord of the pair of headphones sitting around her neck, and she briefly considers putting them on just to drown out the voices.

"Man, take a look at that.. Akihiko-san is real popular with the ladies, huh." Iori-kun speaks up first, a grin forming on his face. "Hehe, I didn't get much of a chance to talk to him before, but now... I've got a good excuse."

Oh, no, no, no. Do not do what she thinks he's going to do.

"I know, he's captain of the boxing team, but... Man, who woulda thought he'd be such a chick magnet!?" Kotone briefly considers telling him that it's because their senior is attractive, and has a position in a sports team that brings attention, but she holds her tongue. She doesn't need Iori-kun making fun of her. "I mean, you don't even see girls flock like that on TV! I wonder where they're going..."

Suddenly, the head of silver turns towards them, and approaches with confident footsteps.

"Hey, are you guys free this afternoon?"

The three all look at each other, and look around briefly, as if wondering if someone Sanada-senpai knows is standing behind them or something.

"Er, us?" Iori-kun points at himself. "Hell yeah! Whatcha got in mind?"

"I want you three to meet me at Paulownia Mall. You know where it is, right? I'll be at the police station." The.. the police station?! Um, just what does their senpai have in mind?! "See ya there."

"Uh, wait, we're not hanging out with your friends..?" The disappointment in Iori-kun's voice almost makes her feel bad.

"Who, these girls?" The upperclassman turns to look at the girls for a moment, before turning back. "I don't even know their names. They talk so much they give me a headache. Anyway, I'm gonna head out. Don't keep me waiting."

He begins to walk off, and the first girl who surely must've ruined her lungs squealing, sighs. "Aww, why can't he be more friendly?"

Kotone can agree with the fact they talk a lot, but somehow she feels a little angry at his statement, to the point where she almost agrees with the crazed fangirl.  
He could at least reject them a little gentler, instead of talking so harshly to these girls.

"Man, how could he not know their names?! I mean, seriously! Just look at them!"

Her brother mutters something she can't quite catch, and the three begrudgingly head off to Paulownia Mall.

* * *

The three enter, eyes meeting with their senpai talking to a much older gentleman, standing behind the desk, clad in full officer uniform.

"Thank you, Sir." He turns when the door opens, giving a light wave. "Oh, these are the three I was talking about earlier."

The officer turns his own gaze towards them, analysing their every habit and movement as if they were criminal suspects that Sanada-senpai had bought in for questioning. Gosh, this isn't some terrifying form of hazing, is it?! Don't tell her that this is all some elaborate prank to fully initiate the three into the group, right?! Just as her mind begins to go wild with ideas underneath the harsh eyes of the policeman, Sanada-senpai speaks back up.

"This is Officer Kurosawa. He helps our squad keep well-equipped." He unzips his bag quickly, pulling three envelopes out, and handing one out to each. "And, this is from Ikutsuki-san.."

Iori-kun immediately lights up at pocket money, and even she can't help but be a little excited. She'd done some real digging to find the cheapest supermarket last time she went shopping for food, but if she has some more money, she can buy better quality ingredients.. Of course, this money is probably for purchasing equipment, but she can see her frugal older brother finding a way to purchase equipment with his money alone.  
He is their leader, after all.

"Sweet!"

She quickly checks the contents of the envelope. Five thousand yen.

"You all can't fight empty handed, so find something you like. Officer Kurosawa has connections.. But, these things still cost money." When it's worded like that, it sounds really shady...

"Of course they do. Nothing in life is free." A stern, older and wiser police officer helping a bunch of high schoolers acquire weaponry. Surely this has got to be a little bit illegal..

"I realise that." He begins to walk towards the exit. "Well, I'll see you later. Thanks again."

"I've been informed about you three. My job is to maintain peace in this city, regardless of the circumstances." He sighs. "I'm just an ordinary police officer, but it doesn't take a genius to know something strange is going on around here. I'm only doing what I think is right."

Her brother, who had been silent the entire time, takes a few steps forward towards the desk. "I'll do some shopping for everyone. You all can go do what you want."

* * *

we dead ass aint even half way thru the first movie

this'll be a LONG ASS trip y'all

this is also the longest chapter so far!  
figures it be an akihiko centric chapter lmao i love my boy

anyway, i'm writing this at like, 12 smth am  
im so fucking tired my bed time (self allocated!) was two hours ago but!  
i had an itch to finish off at least the first 30 mins of the first movie!

also! thank u for being such a loyal reviewer, ohtasuzuke!  
i like to think of my fast writing as my only virtue, haha..  
its a skill acquired by three years of tumblr rp and the playing of many rhythm games

also! im glad this format interests you!  
its a style i figured would put the spotlights on each protagonist and their individual problems  
like kotone's desire to fit in and become a true member of sees, as well as her constant worrying,  
and minato's hand being forced into the role of the wild card and his troubling attitude towards life,  
as well as giving each other member of sees their own screentime.  
if a chapter requires it, another character will briefly take over the pov, like with the april 7th chapter and mitsuru.


	10. summoning (chapter 9)

_April 23rd, 2009.  
_ _After School._

"Hey, are you doing okay?" Iori-kun speaks up over their meal of ramen. He'd suddenly invited her out, his usual goofy grin on his face, but she didn't realise he was going to suddenly ask her something like this. "I mean, suddenly you're dragged into this group, your brother is out cold in the hospital for ten days, and you can't even summon your Persona yet. I wanted to make sure you were feeling okay."

He continues to dig through his meal, idly picking away at bits of noodles with his chopsticks. "I mean, you seemed full of energy at school, what with you're constant scolding of that brother of yours, but I was.. kinda worried."

Wow. She didn't take him to be the sort who would treat someone to a meal just because he was worried. A smile forms on her face, and she reaches over the table at him, before giving his hat a big whack downwards.

"Is that why you invited me out, silly?" She laughs.

A slight blush forms on his cheeks. Hearing it out loud must've embarrassed him. "Huh? Um.. Well, yeah! I mean, I had some problems when I transferred here, too. So I felt the need to give a hand to you and Minato. And you both have fighting on top of all this too, so I thought you two might be stressed or weren't getting accustomed to the school. But, you know, I can't get through to him. I literally have to drag him everywhere with me. He ran outta class the second I went to invite him with us."

That sounds like something her brother would do. She's not sure what's been on his mind these past few days, but she has noticed that he's getting better with people. Or, at least, he's getting better with people like Iori-kun and Yukari-san. Those two seemed like they'd become his genuine friends, and for that, she's glad.

"Then again, out of the two of you, you'll do just fine." He laughs. "After all, you're a cute and lively girl!"

He says that, but she can feel his genuine thoughtfulness, and it makes her smile.

"Still... Girls and guys livin' in the same dorm, huh? That can't be good." The perverted grin on his face makes her whack him again.

"What are you thinking about, mister?!"

The two laugh.

* * *

 _May 1st, 2009.  
After School._

"Seriously, there's no way we can compete with her!" The four teenagers walk along the halls of Tatsumi Memorial Hospital. "Do think she has any weaknesses at all?"

The group of juniors had tagged along with Junpei, who had been given the task of delivering something to Sanada-senpai whilst he was having a check up done, but it's beginning to turn into a gossip session about their ridiculously perfect seniors, rather than making sure their current Field Leader was okay. On the plus side, Yukari had become considerably more open towards the group, often complaining about well, anything so long as it had something to do with Kirijo-senpai. Sometimes it felt as though she complained for the sake of complaining.

"Probably fire." Their leader speaks up, despite his otherwise apathetic tone, he's clearly joking around with them. Truly a master of deadpan humour.

"I didn't mean physically, Arisato-kun.."

"I wonder why Senpai wanted the roster for Class 2-E?" Kotone looks at the list sitting in Junpei's hands with a curious expression, her eyes zeroing in on the four kanji for her own name, close to the top of the list. Still, she can't wrap her head around why their senior needs a list of one of the junior classes. She barely catches anymore names on it before the boy puts it back inside his backpack.

"Dunno. I'm just bringin' it to him. Well, at least he knows who to trust!" Iori-kun has a very proud expression, but with a quick quip from Yukari-san about it only being because he wasn't doing anything else, he shuts right up.

"Still, it's definitely the beginning of May.." Absentmindedly, she begins to pull the stray hairs of her ponytail up a little higher, trying to remove them from the back of her neck. "Time flies way too fast when you're doing something like we are."

"Well, we have to enjoy our youth while we can!" The taller boy snickers. "Maybe we should go to a beach for summer?"

"Ugh."

Her eyes leave Yukari-san and Iori-kun start a brief argument over how much of a 'serial pest' he is, trying to focus on the small number plates on the doors to each hospital room. Her brother seems to have been ahead of her, as he walks on ahead and stops at a particular door.

"This one."

"Oh! Good eye, Arisato-kun!" Yukari laughs, running forward as well, and quickly opening the slide door. "Sorry for the intrusion!"

"Senpai, I bought that thing you asked-"

Sanada-senpai isn't in this room at all. Staring dead at them, thanks to their loud entry no doubt, is a tall and scary looking man, wearing a dark peacoat and a beanie. In this weather, he has to be suicidal. She can feel her skin burn up just looking at how he's dressed. It wasn't just how he dressed which made him look like a back alley drug dealer, it was the look in his eyes. Shadowed over by the beanie, his eyes were dark and narrowed, and a scowl seems to have found permanent residence on his face.

"Huh? Isn't this Sanada-senpai's..." A glare. "H-hospital room?"

"Oh, you're here." Suddenly, the person they're looking for's voice speaks up, and he enters the room, and looks from Iori-kun, to Yukari-san, to herself and her brother. "What are all you doing here?"

"We're here to see how the patient is doing." Yukari states rather simply.

"We came to see you." Kotone smiles, shoving her brother in the arm with a quick **_'say hello!'_**.

"I said I'm just here for a checkup, didn't I?" He smiles. "Well, thanks."

The stranger stands up from his, and his scary factor is turned up by million when all she can see is the dark lines on his face, made more prominent by the shadows of non natural light. "Aki. That all you need?"

Aki... that's an awfully cute nickname for someone like Sanada-senpai. Just how close were these two?

"Yeah, that explained a lot."

"Ugh, honestly.. I have better things to do than play along with your crap.." He pushes past the four, and Kotone could've sworn he glared at Minato on his way out.

"He never changes."

Minato purses his lips, and looks ready to ask something. "...He is?"

"A student from our school. He just knows some victims of Apathy Syndrome, so I asked him a few questions."

"Wow, talk about dedicated!" Iori-kun whistles, as if he's impressed.

"Anyway, Junpei. Did you bring what I asked?"

"Right, I have it right here!" Swinging his bag off his shoulder, he unzips it and pulls out two items; a hand grip and the class roster, handing them over. She's pretty sure patients aren't allowed to do training inside the hospital, but she's not sure she's allowed to argue. "What got you into boxing?"

Sanada-senpai, who had been quietly working at the hand grip the second it had been given to him, squeezes down tight on it, and gains a somewhat upset expression. Did Iori-kun say the wrong thing again? She's a little worried.

"It's not like I'm attached to boxing. Any unarmed martial arts would do." He stops. "I learned a long time ago what it's like to be powerless. I'm not _ever_ going to feel that way again."

In a way, it's like he's opened up a little to to his underclassmen. It's more than what Kirijo-senpai has done, and she feels like she can trust him a little more. She hopes the others do too.

"Are we done here?" Her brother.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"Oi, wait a second! Where are you going?!"

Her brother opens the sliding door, and turns his head back.

"I'll head back first. Kotone, we won't head head to Tartarus tonight."

He leaves, and Iori-kun audibly clicks his tongue in disdain. It makes her really upset, when he does things like this. Everyone is trying their hardest here, but he refuses to open up to them all. All she's able to do is drag him around and force him to do things, which ultimately just makes him angry at her. She can tell when he doesn't enjoy being dragged around, and she can tell when he spites her for it.

She just wants him to live normally, is all...

* * *

 _May 1st, 2009._  
 _Late Afternoon._

"Honestly! That guy really pisses me off!" She flinches at those words leaving her friend's lips. She can understand why he feels that way; he brother can annoy her a lot as well, but she just wishes that everyone would be willing to forgive him a little. He was bad at expressing himself, is all. "Definitely, compared to him, Sanada-senpai is so damn cool!"

Well, it sounds like Iori-kun has a bit of a crush.

"I mean, 'I fight so I won't regret...', doesn't thats sound like a line from a game protagonist or what?!"

Yukari sighs. "Well, you boys do like that sort of thing.."

She can't help but stay silent. She feels like it's not her place to speak in this conversation. She only pays attention once Iori's expression darkens considerably, and he looses that cheerful tone to his voice.

"What do you think Minato fights for..?"

"I think.. he doesn't care either way, if he gets to fight or not. He was asked, so he fights."

She stays silent, but she can't help but agree with those words.

* * *

 _May 9th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour.  
Full Moon._

"We're.. going to fight another big one, huh.." She's a little nervous. She couldn't do anything inside of Tartarus when a big one came at her, just what was she supposed to do now? Her hand subconsciously reaches for her Evoker again; it's become a habit of hers that she can't help. Just having it on her makes her feel safe during this time, even though she doesn't have the guts to pull it out and point it at herself.

"And on a full moon... Sheesh, it looks creepy during the Dark Hour." Yukari-san mumbles, hugging her bow closer to her body.

They were told to wait at the station for Kirijo-senpai, so it seems like Iori-kun's been taking this moment to practice his swings. Each swing leaves a penetrating sound of air moving thanks to it's force, and she can't help but wonder how heavy that sword is. She has little doubts that she wouldn't be able to pick it up, and she doubts her brother could either. It's a heavy weapon that focuses on pure power. It fits Iori.

In contrast, her and her brother's weapons were light and nimble, to fit with their slimmer and weaker frames. It allowed them to attack quickly, but sometimes there wasn't too much strength behind their hits. Her range was a lot longer than her brother's, thanks to the long pole of her ko-naginata, but his gave him more mobility. They chose weapons based off of usability by the two of them, rather than how hard it hits or how cool it looks.

Yukari-san was on the school's archery club, from memory. That made her rather excellent with a bow. It showed when she wasn't using it, too. Her back was always straight, her posture impeccable. She called Kirijo-senpai perfect, but that part of Yukari exuded nothing but grace. As for her weapon.. it hit from long distances, but arrows miss easily and are a little on the weaker side. She has to wonder if that's why the other girl's Persona was so magic orientated.

There's a loud rip in the air, and the thunder of a motorcycle approaches.

"I thought machines didn't function in the Dark Hour.." Minato murmurs, standing up from the cold ground he'd made himself comfortable on, and getting into a defensive position. There's no way a Shadow could make that sort of noise, right?!

Suddenly, a white bike approaches them at terrifying speeds, coming to a very quck (and rushed) spot with a loud screech. It takes a few moments, but soon Kotone recognises the long dark skirt and deep red curls, even though most of it is covered by a helmet.

"Sorry I'm late." Kirijo-senpai pulls off her helmet, and Iori-kun takes it as an invite to immediately begin drooling over the bike. "The Shadow's location is inside a train car a bit outside the station."

"Won't we have to walk on the tracks to get it, then?! Isn't that dangerous?!" Yukari looks almost ready to kick Iori's head into the concrete, as he continues mumbling nothing but praises over their senior's ride.

"You already know machines don't function in the Dark Hour. That goes for the trains too. They won't be running."

"Eh?" Her eyebrow raises. "But, your bike.."

"It's special."

The three juniors look at each other quietly, and shrug. All she can guess is that it's some sort of.. insane Kirijo Group tech, like those huge computers in the Operations Room. Stuff that's not public knowledge...

"Right, Arisato." Her brother looks up. At this point, she's figured out he's the one being talked to. "You're in charge again."

"Alright."

Iori-kun clearly is disgruntled by this choice, clicking his tongue and huffing loudly. He murmurs something under his breath, she can't pick it up, but she can tell it's something filled with jealousy again. She really can't help but relate. She's lived her entire life in her brother's shadow, but she's always been comfortable there. It didn't stop her from getting jealous when he got more attention, but she was used to it.  
Iori needed to get used to it too.

Kirijo-senpai places something down on the ground, and immediately begins to set.. whatever it is up. It almost looks like a computer, but there's too many attachments and wires for it to be a laptop. Just as she's about to speak up, their senior speaks.

"You'll have to climb a ladder to get on the rails. I'll provide backup from here, as usual. Good luck."

* * *

"The boys have to go up first! I don't _care_ if you think being behind us will save us in case we fall, Junpei, you just want to look up our skirts!" On instinct, Kotone begins to pull the ends of her skirt down. Maybe she should start wearing shorts underneath for missions? Or maybe she should just wear her school jersey...

"Don't be such a baby, Yukaricchi! Just go up first! I won't look, I won't look." He snorts. "You can't blame me for catching an accidental peek, though!"

Kotone slams the blunt end of her weapon into his back.

"Kotone, what do you say to the idea of us burying Junpei here and leaving him behind?" She turns to Minato, who is already climbing up the ladder. "Is that okay, Arisato-kun?"

"Go ahead."

"Hey, hey hey! I'll be good, I swear! Jeez, you girls are scary..." He sighs, and begins to climb up after their leader.

"I'll go last, Yukari-san. My weapon is long, so it'll probably get in your face if you go after me."

"Ah, okay then!"

* * *

"The doors are all open." Minato looks around, a surprised expression on his face. He must have thought they'd needed to break into the train. After all, it's odd for the train's doors to all be open when they're not even at the station yet.

Coffin-like objects line the monorail car, some 'standing' upright and others 'sitting' down. These were clearly the passengers before the Dark Hour began. She feels sort of bad for them, considering they were completely oblivious to anything going on in the outside world, and that they didn't know a single thing that was truly going on. In a way, it's one thing she enjoys about having the 'potential'. It allowed her to know the truth about what was going on, and that made her glad.

The group looks around the car quietly, on guard in case any Shadows decide to appear when there's a loud slam, and a lock.

"What was that?!" Yukari immediately looks around, her eyes wide with surprise at the sudden noise.

 _"What's wrong? What happened!?"_

"It looks like we're trapped inside.."

 _"It must be the Shadow... It knows you're there. Be ready for anything! Proceed with extreme caution!"_

"R-Roger!"

The group all prepares for battle, and immediately their leader heads to the front of the group. It seems like he's turned his serious switch on. They all begin to run throughout the train, each time shoving open a hard to open door. But no matter which car they're in, not a single Shadow appears. It's beginning to freak her out, a little. She would much rather it be a situation like inside Tartarus, where they encountered the Shadows in little batches.

"It's so quiet, it's really eery." Yukari murmurs, her fingers itching around an arrow inside her quiver.

"You spoke too soon." Minato brandishes his sword, and a tree like Shadow falls from the ceiling.

"Whoa!"

"There it is!"

Another appears behind them, and the first one begins to run off ahead.

"Bastard, you aren't getting away!" Junpei, immediately on the attack, runs after it. In this case, it was a stupid idea. He shouldn't split off from the group!

"Junpei!"

"Iori-kun!"

 _"Wait! Something's not right. The enemies acting strangely. Don't run off on your own."_

"What?! I can handle one like that fine on my own!" He's being oddly more stubborn than normal, and Kotone begins to wonder if this is about they were talking about a few days ago, if it's about the things she's noticed in their fights inside of the spiralling labyrinth of Tartarus. All Iori wants to do is prove himself.

And he runs off ahead in order to do that.

"We need to chase after him, Kotone, Arisato-kun!" The girl in pink turns towards the twins, her face twisted in a rather annoyed expression. The pressure of this being a large Shadow was already on them, they didn't need a loose cannon member running off as well..

"Right!"

"Huh? But he said..." She can't believe her brother is arguing about this. He knows that this is a dangerous situation! Does he truly believe that it's okay to let someone do whatever they want even if it'll kill them?! She's almost disgusted to say she'd believe it. Her brother didn't mind the idea of his own death, after all. But the least he could do was worry about others!

"He's our team mate, Arisato-kun!"

She watches, rose coloured eyes narrowed in a rather intimidating glare at her brother. And it's like he's been knocked into another realm of existence, his expression for once showing a glimmer of surprise. He purses his lips, and looks towards the direction Iori-kun ran off in. He's clearly about to speak up about his current predicament; two angry girls with weapons telling him to do something, when there's a sudden jolt to the ground beneath them.

The train.

"We're moving." In a shocking and rare moment, she can clearly hear the confusion in his voice.

"It shouldn't be able to work during the Dark Hour!"

 _"The entire train's under the Shadow's control."_

Kotone shoots forward, kicking off at her left foot into a sprint and sends a large slice down the middle of one of the Shadows, leaving only a wiggling piece left behind on the floor, which soon disappears the same way every defeated Shadow does. The other two take the message, and Yukari sends a piercing arrow straight to the head of another Shadow blocking their way, with the dark haired teenaged boy finishing off the final one with a deep stab through the monster's body.

 _"This is bad!"_

"What is it now?!" The stakes are high, and everyone's tense and on edge. It's no wonder Yukari snapped at Kirijo-senpai like that.

 _"If the train keeps accelerating, it'll hit the next train in a few minutes!"_ The normally cool, calm and collected senior is clearly showing how much pressure this is putting on her as well, as her voice sounds more and more stressed the more she speaks. _"Listen! In the lead car, there's a large presence. That's probably it's main body!"_

"So we just need to defeat that, then!"

"Right!"

* * *

The group bursts through several small hordes of Shadows, and finally reach what seems to be the final car. On the ground, just by the door, is a clearly injured and weak Junpei, who seems to have long run out of options. Speeding towards him, is a giant spear of ice.

She's not really sure what came over her. The second she sees that shard speeding towards the fun loving, playful boy; her _friend_ , she snaps. And the hand that had twitched and shivered at the idea of even touching the holster at her side reaches down and unclips it, pulling out her Evoker in a matter of seconds.

"Stop it!" She screams, at the very top of her lungs, shoving the stock of the gun to her temple and pulls the trigger.

There's a flash of the brightest blue she's ever seen, and blocking the freezing ice from ever touching Iori, is her _Persona_.

 _"I am thou... thou art me... I come from the seas of thy heart..."_ Her Persona's voice. It's a soft, gentle whisper, like only she's meant to be hearing these words. Is this... normal for a first summon? Wait.. did she really just do it?

Her eyes examine every inch of her Persona, both in shock and awe, but with a clear hint of excitement. It's a feminine form, shimmering fire like hair, but it almost looks iridescent in a away. It glitters with every inch of the cosmos, with every constellation inside of it's body. In one hand, much like her brother's, it has a beautiful, delicate looking lyre, but the other holds a rod for mapping the stars. It seems when it's not blocking, the two items float and revolve around it, like the way the planets do around the Sun.

 _"I am the Muse of the Heavens... Urania!"_

* * *

me, sweating loudly: oh wow we're ten chapters in and one of our mains hasnt had a persona summon yet haha  
oh well i had it planned for this full moon operation anyway!  
i hope this chapter was... interesting! i loved coming up with a persona for kotone.

her persona is urania, one of the nine muses.  
she was the muse of astronomy, and was associated with universal love and the holy spirit.  
in some legends, urania and the other muses were orpheus' siblings.  
urania herself has a poem describing her with a 'star-bespangled lyre'.

as for kotone's arcana, i chose the star. my reason why?  
well, in some tarot decks, the star arcana means 'hope, bright promises, expectation'.  
it can, however, also mean loss, and abandonment.  
i felt like both meaning suited her rather well!

urania also fit the motif going on, she used the stars to fortune tell!

im not very good at descriptions of things that arent human (welp)  
but i had fun coming up with a design in my head for her persona!  
ultimately, i wanted it to be similar to the femc's orpheus, but still having it's own unique life and appearance.

i hope you enjoyed this chapter! the document is eloquently named 'go to sleep binch'.


	11. teamwork (chapter 10)

_May 9th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._  
 _Full Moon._

Minato's not sure how to think anymore.

Junpei had run off ahead of him, and he had thought that the fiery teenager would be completely fine handling some Shadows; since he'd said he could do it. But the looks he received from Yukari, from his own _sister_ , the absolute horror in the sheer idea that he would think it was fine to leave one of them to their own devices, left him a little shellshocked. Wasn't it enough, that he thought it was fine? It proved he trusted in the other, right?

But hearing the words ' _team mate_ ', and the way it was said at him... It made him feel as though he'd made an incorrect choice.

The two girl's run off ahead of him, shoving open doors together, taking down Shadows with precise strikes and teamwork. They were serious. They wanted to save Junpei, no matter what. They wanted to live; the fact they ran with all their strength only proved that. The faster the train sped up, the quicker the pair would move in synch in order to break through the lines of monsters.

It lights something up inside his heart. He's not sure what this feeling is; it's something he hasn't felt in a long, long time, but it makes him want to join them. And as a Shadow jumps down from the darkness of the rooftop, landing an attack on Yukari, he speeds forward again, like he had done before, and slices through it with his sword.

"We need to hurry... After all, our _team mate_ might be in danger," He offers a hand to the girl, trying to help her up. "Right?"

She smiles at him, features softening from the anger that had been previously so prominent on her pretty face. "Right."

* * *

He stares in absolute awe at the glimmering figure guarding the group from the sharpened shards of freezing ice. At the head of it all, the very one _defending_ them, was his precious little sister. His precious, frail and small sister. Those pretty red eyes which had only ever shot glares at him were now like piercing daggers, staring down the monochromatic Shadow with a fierceness he'd never seen before.  
All she had ever needed was a push, something to set her off. All she ever needed was to believe in herself. She was always a different person in battle; he's noticed that over the past week of fighting, but finally, with her power to stand on the same stage as them, _truly_ , she was finally able to fight to the best of her ability.

And he was proud.

"I'm absolutely spent..." Junpei laughs weakly, he sounded so disappointed in himself.

"Then we'll have to defeat this one fast." Minato steps forward, and aims his Evoker at his head. "Orpheus!"

The sound of glass shattering, and the blue glow that always shows with every summon. His Persona rushes forward, lifting it's lyre high in the air and making an attempt to slam it down on the feminine looking Shadow, only to be blocked. He clicks his tongue, and makes an attempt to tell his Persona to begin using fire. There's a flash, and immediately the air around the pair of creatures begins to explode. The Shadow almost _smirks_ at him, and the temperature in the train car only begins to freeze more, as pillars of ice race towards him, knocking him backwards.

"Arisato-kun!" Yukari pulls back the string of her bow, sending an arrow flying towards the monster. "Why, you!"

It's blocked, and only more and more ice is summoned. At this point, the train car looks as though it's in the middle of a blizzard, their breath visible in the air and their eyes barely being able to open, thanks to the thrashing, freezing winds.

"We won't be able to get close like this!"

 _"Do whatever it takes! If you don't stop, you'll collide in less than five minutes!"_

"Easier said than done!"

Junpei, busy trying to block the snow from his eyes, suddenly looks up at the three standing. "Hey! What does she mean, 'collide'? What are you guys talking about?"

"We're going to crash into the train ahead of us." Minato sounds disinterested, but he can't help but feel a little worried as well.

"What?!"

 _"The Dark Hour is a time period that shouldn't exist. If something is destroyed during that time, it will create a paradox. If that happens..."_

"Wait just a minute! We're... We're all still inside the train!" The broadsword wielder's voice takes on a shake of fear. "If it collides with us inside..."

"We all die."

"No way... You're joking, right?! You're making it sound like our lives are on the line here!"

"You haven't been able to tell until now, you idiot?!" Kotone yells, her voice trying to stay strong despite the terror she was feeling.

Junpei shakes a little, picking up his sword of the ground with a large yell. He raises it high, like he's an ancient king in an old story, and begins to run towards the Shadow. Just seeing something like that sets Minato off a little; the thoughts of how useless he was coming back. Someone has their back to him.. Someone's about to die again in front of him.

He can't let that happen!

As if on cue, the voices of the Velvet Room's residents enter his mind, as though they're trying to give him more advice in this important and very difficult time. He almost wants to scream at them to shut up and let him go back to reality, but the tall woman; Elizabeth, begins to speak.

"It looks as though the time has come once again. The time for you to awaken a new power."

"Your power is unique," Igor speaks, his hands underneath that giant nose of his and his voice like crinkling old paper. "It is unlike that of the others. It is empty, yet contains infinite possibility."

Is that supposed to be a joke about him?

"You alone possess multiple Personas, and can evoke different ones as the need arises." This is an awfully convenient power, and one he might've needed much earlier.

A beautiful glimmer begins to float out of Elizabeth's book, twirling around like a ballet dancer on pointe. "This is the Magician Arcana that you won in your earlier battle. The Persona inside is..."

Her voice fades from his mind, and he feels like he knows what to do.

He pulls Junpei back, and raises his Evoker to his temple. "Jack Frost!"

Instead of his usual, tall and almost elegant Persona, out comes a stubby, chubby little thing that looks more like a mascot for some cute and girly series of items rather than a part of his psyche.

"That's not Orpheus!" Kotone's eyes can't believe what they're seeing. Nobody in the train can.

The cute little thing floats down to the train's floor, and begins to open it's mouth unbelievably wide, sucking in every bit of frosty air and snow. It's a shield of sorts, one that absorbs Ice Magic. It's a handy little thing he's been given by those blue clowns.

"Kotone! Yukari! Junpei! I need you all to attack!" He cries, standing with his Evoker still by his head. "I don't know how long I'll be able to hold this, so attack while we have an opportunity! I want you guys to watch my back, and _help me out_ here! I _trust you all_ to win this!"

 _"Hurry! We're running out of time!"_

"Haha.. Trying to be a show off.. I can't be a man if I don't do this!" It's like those words were magic, because Junpei points his own Evoker at his head. "I've still got some fight left in me! Hermes!"

Hermes arrives in an almost quiet fashion; unbefitting of the cooler and over the top entries he had made before, and dodges each slice of the Shadow's hair like tendrils, before going in for a slice.

The two girls follow quickly, each pointing their gun like items to their heads.

"Urania!"

"Io!"

The two Personas float in, and there's a giant burst of wind and fire, surrounding the Shadow like a tornado. Each blade of torrential wind cuts open bits of the disgusting Shadow, while the fire begins to burn away at it's 'flesh'. There's a horrid screech, and the monster explodes into a mess of black and red goo.

The four almost collapse on the ground, until Yukari begins to notice that the train is very much still moving. "Why aren't we stopping?!"

The two boys knock down the door to the driver's station, and immediately begin looking for something, anything to stop the train. The pressure can truly be felt now. They've defeated the Shadows, but they're going to die because they couldn't stop this train from moving. There's way too many levers and buttons to count, and which one to press or pull probably took years to learn how to do.

It just takes a lucky guess, and Minato pulls the largest lever there is.

"Idiot, what if that's the wrong one?!"

But there's a loud creek, and the a groan from the train as it begins to slow to a stop, as they approach the other closer and closer. The other three members of the team can't help but squeeze their eyes shut in fear, all screaming in horror, but all he can do is watch until it completely stops. It does, just inches before the collision.

And he's whacked several times over the head with the blunt end of his sister's naginata.

"If you knew which one it was you should've done it from the get go!" He can see her begin to cry. Jeez.. she must have been terrified. Not only that, but she looks absolutely exhausted. The first time is the roughest, and she had helped deal the finishing blow.. "I was so scared you absolute _idiot_!"

"Oh, gosh, Kocchan, don't cry!" Junpei begins to shove his fists into his pockets. "Crap, where'd I put my handkerchief... You don't mind if it's been used, do ya?"

Her slight sobs begin to turn into little giggles. Looks like having this idiot's good for one thing; lightening the mood after facing something terrifying.

"Hey, don't laugh!"

They all hear Mitsuru sigh, relief evident in her voice. Was she that stressed out? _"I'm so glad you're all safe.. I'm so sorry I couldn't do much on my end. But, I don't sense anymore Shadows. You all did a fantastic job, so come on home."_

"Hey, Arisato-kun? How'd you know which one was the break?" Yukari asks.

"I saw it in a movie, once."

"You're kidding!"

They all laugh and joke around about getting some food once the Dark Hour ends, and he feels something inside of him grow.

 **The Fool Arcana has ranked up.**

* * *

There's a sound of a transceiver buzzing through, and Akihiko quickly reaches to answer it.

"Akihiko here."

 _"This is Mitsuru. The team defeated all the Shadows. The monorail hasn't sustained any noticeable damage."_ And with those words from their group's trusty head, the two men sigh with relief. Damn it, if only he was able to help those kids out.. They were still inexperienced!

"That's a relief," Ikutsuki laughs, and is probably coming up with one of his jokes. "I'd hate to see the headlines tomorrow if anything bad happened."

"Still... What are the Shadows up too?" Akihiko just doesn't get it. This is too _organised_ to be random attacks, too specific. Last month it was the dorm getting attacked, and this time it was a monorail... Why are these large Shadows spawning outside of Tartarus, the only place SEES had thought they'd originally been able to exist?

It just doesn't sit right with him.

 _"They're learning quickly. The younger Arisato has finally summoned her Persona."_ He snaps out of it at those words, and he can't help but feel a little proud. She'd barked at him about wanting to fight even if she couldn't bring her's out, but now she was finally able to do it. He's happy for her. _"She's exhausted. They all are. We're heading back to the dormitory now."_

He sits back down on the lounge in thought, trying to figure out this Shadow mess.  
He'll have to discuss it with Mitsuru once she gets back.

* * *

and that my dears concluded the priestess arcana shadow!  
this chapter was a little shorter than the previous two,  
but those two were absolute monsters and i just.. rlly wanted to conclude this lmao

in the original draft for this story,  
kotone was going to summon her persona the night they rescue fuuka;  
during the time everyone was split up from each other.  
the idea was for it to be summoned out of fear,  
as nobody was there to protect her like they had been up until then.  
ultimately, i decided that this way was not only earlier-  
but it also was more in character for her.  
her persona was born of a desire to protect someone else,  
not out of the need to protect herself. it was born out of fear of loss,  
and the desire to become strong enough to protect them.

well, i hope this one was enjoyable! next chapter should be out soon!


	12. magician and chariot (chapter 11)

_May 12th, 2009._  
 _After School._

The two girls stand outside of a pretty florist, the mixed scents of each flower inside wafting out into the streets like a gentle perfume. Despite the shops name (who would name a flower shop 'Rafflesia?!'), the flowers looked high quality and there didn't seem to be any sight of the disgusting fungus that was it's namesake. They'd be able to smell it before they saw it, with it's apparently 'rotting flesh' like smell.

"Wouldn't you love to have a room just, _filled_ with flowers?" Yukari sighs romantically, leaning down with her hands on her knees to get a closer look at one of the neatly done bouquets. "I would. It's a dream of mine, to have something like that."

It's a very cute dream; one that fits the sweet and cute Yukari-san perfectly. It also sounds pretty, and it would probably make the house smell nice, but it would take a lot of work, taking care of a room with only flowers in it. But if it were the girl standing next to her, Kotone could see it happening.

"You'll have to invite me over for tea and cake when you do. We'll make a date out of it!"

"Oh! That sounds really good! We'll have those cute little cakes, and some strawberry parfaits!" The girl giggles excitedly. "Do you have a favourite flower? I'll make sure to decorate with some!"

She pauses to think about that question for a moment, a pale finger pursed to her lips. She likes lots of flowers, really. Her parents always told her she was like a sunflower; but she had always liked daisies more. She also liked cherry blossoms, but they never lasted for too long and were always so fragile.

"I like roses. They have such a pretty scent, and they're so beautiful to look at." That's a good answer. She loved roses, truly. She liked all flowers, but definitely, roses and carnations were her favourites.

"Whoa." Yukari's voice takes on a rather impressed, if not a little surprised, tone. "I mean, I wasn't expecting that! I always pictured roses being for like.. a mature, adult woman, you know? Someone like Kirijo-senpai."

That was a pretty good comparison. Kirijo Mitsuru was beautiful and elegant, but also seemed to have a few thorns. Yes, a flower like the rose suited their overly mature senpai very well.

"You know, my home used to be absolutely covered with flowers in the past. My mom.. really liked them, you see, so she'd decorate the house all over with them. She would even use the ones I would pick." She laughs, but there's a certain sadness behind it. "That was a long time ago, though."

Kotone gets the feeling she's not supposed to ask, so she doesn't. There were things that you didn't ask someone until they were ready to share, and she just got this feeling like it wasn't anywhere near the time to hear what's behind that story. So she keeps her mouth shut, and simply nods along instead. It's the easiest non-verbal way of communicating the fact she's listening, after all.

"Until I'm able to decorate that room of only flowers, looks like I'll just have to add some to my room!" Yukari sighs, and calls out to the lady behind the counter. "What sort of bouquet could I get for three thousand yen?"

The woman laughs, and responds back with an almost sarcastic, "You'll get a handful of baby's breath, missy."

"Damn it.."

* * *

 _May 15th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"That movie was incredible!" She squeals excitedly. The story was complex, the characters were all super interesting, and it had heaps of cool action scenes! She didn't normally like watching those types of movies, due to their lack of substance, but she really did enjoy that one! Thank goodness Iori-kun took her! He was even going to treat her to something to eat afterwards, which was where they were heading right now!

"Mm.. The story wasn't what I was expecting." He shrugs, a sigh leaving his lips. "I mean, it's no fun when the villain isn't truly evil, right? When they chucked his backstory at us, it just felt harder to route for the protagonists, y'know?"

"Kind of.. It is more fun when the villain is this truly evil figure! I mean, sure, the villain can be a product of his past, but.. A villain that's bad because he wants to be would be so cool!" She wonders if there's any movies with a bad guy like that..

"You totally get it!" He grins, seemingly happy to have someone agree with him. He opens the door to a fast food restaurant, which the two quickly enter and make an attempt to find a seat in the after school rush. "I'll order our food. What'cha want, Kocchan?"

"Oh! I wanna try the new burger! And fries! Oh, and a drink!" The chain had been advertising this new burger of some kind, and she wanted to see if it lived up to the expectations she had. Fast food wasn't the healthiest, but so long as she balanced how much she ate, she'd be fine! Besides, it tastes real good!

"Okay, okay! You're real peppy today, huh? More than usual!"

"It's because I've been doing good with my studies! Sure, I'm not my brother's level of smarty-pants, but I like to think I'm pretty good at school when I want to be!"

"Oh, jeez. Don't remind me. He's been harping me to study every time I mention I want to go to Tartarus."

She shrugs. Exams tended to put her brother on edge. He was always smart, and he had developed a habit of needing to prove it, despite what he would say. It was probably due to some of the family members they had lived with being a little less than kind towards the pair, but she wasn't ever sure. She couldn't get inside that head of his and rat around in there to find out how he truly felt, no matter how much she wanted to.  
In a way, he and Junpei were more alike than they thought. They both wanted to prove themselves, in different ways.

"Good luck, Iori-kun. You'll need it."

He groans, and rushes off to order their food. She hopes that after the other night's ordeal, her brother and Iori's relationship had smoothed over a little bit. She certainly didn't sense the level of tension and jealousy that was there before, but it still hadn't entirely fixed itself. Her brother had done a pretty good job that night; she had to admit. The way he expressed himself was very... Minato-like. Something inside of her brother had changed that night, it was only small, but it had done something right. Clearly, the people in SEES, particularly Yukari and Junpei, were doing a good job of prying her brother open like a walnut and forcing him to come out of his shell.

She was glad.

Junpei returns, a tray with their two orders balancing dangerously atop it in his hands. It made her anxious just looking at the way his arms shook while holding their orders, especially the shiver of the two cups of soda. She stands up, and grabs both of them, hoping to lighten to load slightly, and her friend shoots a grateful look. He sits down, and the two begin to dig into their meals.

She takes a bite out of the burger she'd been longing for, and immediately is happy with the result. "This is so good! I might order this every time I come here!"

"Haha, you really like it that much?" He takes a sip of his cola. "Oh boy, I wonder what'll happen if some of the guys from school see me with you, like this.. Gosh, Yukaricchi told me not to spread any rumours about'cha, since you weren't used to it, but I don't know if I'll be able to stop them if I'm involved. Man, I hope I don't get my ass kicked.. you're super popular, after all, you're bound to have some pretty crazy fans."

She nearly chokes on her burger. "I'm sorry?"

"And it's not just you, it's Yukaricchi and Kirijo-senpai.. Man, sharing a dorm with three pretty ladies is tough. Guys get pretty jealous, y'know."

The idea of having fans like the girls they saw the other day terrified her, especially if they were boys. Sure, she could fight against giant monsters in the Dark Hour now, but physical abilities were amplified! She's not sure she could handle some creepy man coming for her.

"Just let them be jealous. It's not like you can help it, after all."

He laughs. "Right? I really can't help it! I'm a member of the group too, after all!"

The two continue to eat their food, talking about anything from people they knew to teachers they shared, they even momentarily discussed the school work they suspected was going to be on their midterms, but that conversation just ended up in the two of them sighing sadly, and coming up with the idea to get tutored by either Minato, or Kirijo-senpai.

"Oh, are you interested in any guys at the moment? You don't seem to be, but I'll be cheerin' ya on if you are!"

She pauses, her lips pursed against her straw. "Mm.. We're a little busy for that, you know? Also.. I don't.. know many boys."

She doesn't even know that many girls.

"Yeah, we have a lot on our plates, after all." He laughs. "It's silly that I'm the one getting all excited over all this love stuff."

"You'll be the first I tell, if I do find someone."

"Nice! I'll help ya out every step of the way! You can count on your man Junpei!" He quickly shuffles some of his fries onto her side of the tray. "You want some more fries? You can have mine."

* * *

 _May 16th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

Kotone is rather surprised when a tired out Sanada-senpai runs up to her just as they were entering the gates, giving a quick ' _hey_ '. He doesn't look very good.. He's a little pale. Well, he always had a rather pale complexion (fairly similar to her own, actually), but his cheeks were a little flushed.

"Are you not feeling well?" She's genuinely concerned, it'd be bad if he got sick right on top of his injury, right?

"The opposite, actually. The doctor said I'm almost fully healed, so... I couldn't wait to get some exercise." Ah, so he's been jogging the entire way to school from the train station. That's a little silly, but it's also a little funny. She can't help but giggle a bit. "I'll be ready to battle after midterms. But that means I've got to start training now."

He seems excited to join the group in their missions through Tartarus.

* * *

 _May 18th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Minato had joined the track team pretty late into April, but hardly attended practice. He'd only joined because the night before, everyone at the dorm was telling him to try one. Akihiko had scolded him in particular, stating that enjoying the clubs was an essential part of their school experience as well. He'd even mentioned how it might help in Tartarus and battling against Shadows; bringing up the fact he and Mitsuru used their club times to practice battle techniques. He didn't even know Mitsuru knew how to fight, but now that he does, he's not surprised.

The members of the track team weren't that bad, either. Their manager; Nishiwaki Yuko, reminded him of his sister almost, and Miyamoto Kazushi was like a second Junpei, only he actually seemed to have a goal in life. Sure, winning a track competition wasn't a very big goal in his mind, but it was definitely better than ' _I'm going to play that video game again!_ '.

"Jesus... Minato..." Speak of the devil, Kazushi catches up to him during their water break. "What kind of demonic... training regimen are you on?"

He's drenched with sweat, and pants harder than a dog in summer. Sure, their training was extensive, but was it really that tiring? It might be all that time spent inside of Tartarus.. It did put a lot of strain on the body, after all. Now he could see why Akihiko seemed to take it like a training session. No doubt, if one of these muscle heads was able to function in the Dark Hour, they'd try to spend all their time in Tartarus.. God, he's got to keep an eye on Akihiko once he's able to fight again. Mitsuru scolded him enough already, but having someone on the team tell him off when Mitsuru isn't able to would probably be a good idea.

"Just the usual."

The runner scoffs. "What kinda smart ass... I knew the competition was gonna be fierce this year, but if you're there... Alright! I've decided! Minato, from this moment onwards, you're my rival!"

Oh god, not another one.

And just as he thinks that, a familiar feeling forms in his mind.

The Chariot Social Link.

* * *

 _May 21st, 2009.  
After School._

Tomochika Kenji was one of his classmates. He was loud, and obviously girl crazy, but he was friendly enough to approach the rather.. dark and very much unfriendly Minato. He was pretty sure this guy and Junpei knew each other pretty well, but he didn't pay attention to the dynamics of their class enough to really know that for sure. He just knows that the dude came up to him after class had ended and asked if he wanted to go eat ramen with him.

He couldn't say no to food.

"Anyway, I coulda sworn those rumours about you and Takeba were true. You two are pretty close, after all." He points with his damn chopsticks.

"Shut up and eat."

"Nah, you're right. Food tastes better if you're not havin' a dumb conversation, I get it." He takes a large slurp of his noodles. "Still, you're a real fast mover, man. You just transferred here, and you're already real close to one of the most popular girls in our year. Heck, you live in a dorm with Kirijo-senpai, and that sister of yours is pretty, too."

A glare.

"Haha, relax man! I'm not into younger girls. I like more mature women, y'feel?" He doesn't. "Man, we should hang out more. You're really not as scary as y'look in class. I mean, you're pretty much always sleeping, but it's a little hard to approach you since you're so quiet."

He wants to argue, but he already knows what's coming up next.

He's established The Magician Social Link.

* * *

the most unrealistic part of persona 3 is that none of these teenagers swear  
this chapter is just me setting up more relationships and shit tbh so!  
its our first split chapter! by that, i mean the first half was kotone and the other half was minato.  
since this chapter was fairly quiet, i figured this would be the easiest way to do it,  
instead of having two chapters of just establishing bonds for each one.

to answer ur question,,, i do have plenty of plans for that side of kotone :^)  
they'll be prominent, trust me :^)  
as will some more sides of minato, as he begins to open up to the idea of feelings more,  
his other feelings that arent 'i want to die' or 'please do not' will begin surfacing.  
i'm very excited to get to the point i have in my head, which will be certainly a trip for the twins.  
as for shinjiro!  
while im trying to strive for something as close to the male protagonists route as possible,  
i do have plenty of plans for him! it takes a very long time for him to show up and story wise...  
well, he doesn't do very much until later, and then is only around for a month or two.  
he has a large impact on the story, and then makes a not so graceful exit.  
he's very hard to plan for. as for how he acts,, well,, i am using the movie as a basis,  
but also shinjiro just seemed to be... very much in a hurry to get the fuck out of that hospital lol


	13. hagakure (chapter 12)

the reason why this chapter (and maybe the next?)  
are from kotones pov is bc... well  
im currently replaying the femc's route via new game+,  
so im a little ahead on her game. i'll be working on his route after i finish this tho

* * *

 _May 27th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

"Polydeuces!" Top heavy, and with long flowing blond hair. Sanada-senpai's Persona was a little funny looking, but there was little doubt that he was strong. Akihiko had stated himself that his own attack power mightn't have been as great as someone like Iori-kun's, which was clearly logical, considering that one used his two fists to attack their enemies while the other wielded a large sword. It didn't stop the upperclassman from doing a great deal of damage, though.  
It was actually almost scary, in a way. She knew full well from finally witnessing him in battle that he was _not_ someone you'd ever want to get in a punch-on with. Being captain of the boxing team was clearly evidence of how good of a boxer he was; but she really wasn't expecting him to be completely capable of dealing with the Shadows she'd struggled with so embarrassingly with only physical attacks.

It was incredible.

Thunder and lightning rains down from the sky, striking a beast like Shadow like God's mighty judgement. Minato runs forward and shoves his Evoker to his temple; summoning yet another brand new Persona that they'd never seen before. He'd pulled off this trick a few times since that night on the train, and often times he would seemingly switch them every few days. The only one she's ever seen regularly was his 'main', Orpheus.

A scantily clad woman with beautiful white wings on her back. Her eyes a completely covered, and she immediately flaps her wings to summon up a giant storm of raging whirlwinds. She soon disappears once the green gale meets it's mark. She's genuinely curious as to her brother's impressive ability to have more than one Persona at once, and she can't help but wonder if he's able to do anything else incredible. It makes her feel a little.. behind, though. He was able to summon his Persona first, he had become the field leader of SEES, and he had the shocking ability to switch the Person he wielded in the middle of battle.

He's always been able to do more than her.

This Shadow too, just like the rest, explodes into disgusting ooze of red and black. This time, however, her brother walks over to where it had previously stood and picks something up off of the ground.

"It dropped gemstones." He opens his palm to show the pair of shimmering green emeralds. "You think they're real?"

Junpei approaches, his eyes the size of saucers at the sight of the precious items. "Oh man, if they are, how much y'reckon they'd sell for?"

"You'd _sell_ them?!" Yukari blinks with surprise, her own mind trying to wrap around the idea of a Shadow dropping something as pretty as a pair of beautiful stones. It's a difficult thought, for sure. You'd expect a Shadow to drop something like a bloodied handkerchief, or something like that from a horror movie. Not.. glimmering green gems.

Sanada-senpai, whilst adjusting his gloves, speaks up. "They sometimes do that. Just sell them. You can't prove where you got them from, so they'll be suspicious of you, but the money you'd get means better equipment for us. And better equipment means we'll have a better chance at survival. You're our leader, after all. You're the one who decides what happens with most of these things."

Minato nods his head, and quickly tucks the stones inside of his pocket. This was another good thing that their senior bought with him once he had rejoined the group; he was able to mediate the incoming fights over what to do that tended to occur between Yukari and Junpei. It seemed like the strength of listening to their senpai won over their petty arguments, which Kotone was immensely grateful for. Sure, she found it endearing at times; but when they were inside of Tartarus, it was more dangerous than cute.

"Let's head up the next level."

* * *

 _May 29th, 2009.  
After School._

Herself and her brother were currently helping out their dorm mate Yukari with some of her club activities, though really it was more or less just cleaning up after the messy first years. It wasn't too much to take care of; they'd finished it fairly quickly and were currently on their way back to their respective classrooms in order to pick up their bags. They'd probably be there by now if they hadn't stopped suddenly by a pair of loud mouthed girls laughing their heads off.

"So, I pretended to take a picture with my cell phone!" Kotone recognises that voice from somewhere. She's not sure the name of the person behind it, but it's not a voice she would forget very easily. It had a certain.. annoying tone to it that made it hard to miss in a crowd. "She _freaked_ out and started crying! Like, it was the end of the world! You should've seen the _look_ on her face! It was priceless!"

Yukari clicks her tongue in disdain, and seems to be holding herself back from saying anything.

"Oh my god!" The other girl, whose most distinctive feature was the amount of makeup caked onto her face, a cackle of a laugh in bubbling from her throat.

"I've never laughed so hard in my life!"

The two laugh again, and it takes every inch of the brunette girl to not punch one of these damned harlots in the face.

"Ugh, they're making fun of someone..?" The girl in pink scoffs loudly. "Don't they have anything better to do?"

"They probably do, but people like that take enjoyment out of this sort of thing." Minato shrugs.

Makeup girl suddenly has a terrified, somewhat confused look on her face. "...Huh? Where's that voice coming from?"

"What voice? I don't hear anything." The girl with dyed hair looks around. "What's wrong, Maki? Maki? Maki!"

"..Huh?" The girl seems to snap out of it. "Sorry.. what were we talking about?"

The two have a quick stare off, a puzzled look on one girl's face and a far off look on the other's. The two soon walk away, leaving Kotone to think about where she's seen these girls before. They have familiar faces and voices, but she can't piece them together quiet well enough. They clearly did something that left an impression, but when and where just.. escapes her mind.

".. About time they left. I can't stand girls like that.."

The three continue to walk back to their classroom, talking about how ridiculous the pair they'd just witnessed were.

* * *

"Are you okay with the special?"

The two teenagers enter Hagakure, a rather popular ramen shop at the strip mall in Iwatodai. Sanada-senpai had taken her here since they'd agreed to go home together, but she didn't know how hungry she was until they'd taken step inside and she'd smelled the delicious aroma of the noodles cooking inside. She nods mutely to his question, not wanting to open her mouth and make a fool out of herself by drooling.

"Alright then," He turns towards the older gentleman behind the counter. "Two extra-large specials, please!"

"Oh! Can I get appetisers, too?" Junpei had taken her here before, and she really did enjoy some of the side dishes they had. The tamagoyaki they had here was absolutely divine.

Her upperclassman laughs. "Sure, get whatever you like. Go wild."

"I want some tamagoyaki!"

Today, Akihiko seems to be rather happy, though she can't tell exactly why. She notices once they sit down She's rather glad he seems to be so cheerful today; it makes approaching him and keeping up a conversation up a lot easier. She'd been trying to approach him for a while now; since he'd said himself that if she wanted to hang out with him, just come and say hi, but he always had an intimidating aura, and that wasn't even including the burning holes the girls would stare into her as she spoke to him.

Their food arrives at their table, and she begins to dig into her meal, her chopsticks digging through the large bowl of noodles and excitedly slurping them up.

"Physical strength is everything." He begins, pausing his eating. "You're an incredible fighter, but your abilities wont be of any use if you exhaust yourself easily."

Is her senpai... worried about her? He words it strangely, but somehow it definitely sounds like he's worrying about her, in his own special way. She continues to eat quietly, nothing but surprise painting her features at the idea of their strong and confident senior being worried over someone like her. It made sense, though. Minato worried about her. Yukari worried about her. Junpei especially worried about her, being practically her de facto big brother with the way he acted.

"That's why I want you to be more careful while fighting. You're able to summon your Persona now, and you've got incredible control over it, but you're still weaker than everyone else. You'll need to rely on us all more." Sanada-senpai sighs. "Your brother is doing his best as our leader, so you do your best to support him, okay? We all will."

Her cheeks flush. Did she really try to be that self-reliant? She didn't want to bother anyone, but it almost sounded like she was bothering them more by trying to be independent. Was she really that unreliable? Or was she just someone who they all couldn't leave alone for five seconds... Like a toddler. She wants to be reliable too! Everyone else is so good at what they do, and she wants to get better too!

"Wow, you've completely demolished that bowl, Kotone." She hadn't even realised she was eating even more food out of anger. No wonder her stomach's beginning to hurt. An extra-large with side dishes is definitely _way_ too much food for someone her size. "Do you want to head to another restaurant?"

"I can't eat another bite, senpai.."

"You're going to give up that easily?" His tone is joking. "You must have a small stomach. You wont grow any stronger if you don't eat right."

He's treating her like a child... She glares, her cheeks puffed out in defiance.

"Haha, don't give me that look. I'm not Junpei, I won't go easy on you just because you're a girl." He reaches over the table, and a gloved hand ruffles up her already messy curls of auburn. "Keep doing your best."

Although he makes her feel like a grade schooler, she can tell he's caring for her in his own way.

* * *

idk how many chapters there will be today,  
since im uploading this in the afternoon instead of my usual upload time right before i go to bed

so heres some news!  
i finally decided on who to ship minato with, and it may surprise u!  
it certainly surprised me lmao,  
and i just thought of it while showering and was like  
"oh... that would be... interesting"

anyway this chapter was also akihiko centric  
bc 1. i love my boy and 2. in game i had already established his social link by this point  
so i figured i should.. probably do that here as well.

deciding what ships i picked where purely based off of what i wanted to ship,  
but i also had a particular criteria for kotone. i'll get into that if you want to know about it

im really excited to write the tanabata full moon operation lmao  
that was my fucking favourite one i pissed myself laughing the entire time


	14. back alley (chapter 13)

_June 1st, 2009._  
 _Evening._

She quietly buzzes around the dormitory's dining room, her hands working deftly at plating everyone's dinner. She'd made shogayaki for dinner, and was currently working at placing the white rice in it's own separate bowls and garnishing the meat with shredded cabbage. Everyone had already taken their seats at the table; after she had yelled at them to sit down instead of hovering over her shoulder like lost puppies.

Once she finished her work, she begins to carry the plates of food out, two at a time. Her arms shake as she carries two large plates with small bowls of rice on top, but she manages to place down the food in front of each person, before bringing her own plate out and taking a seat down at the table.

"Whoa, Kocchan really went all out!" Junpei excitedly rubs his hands together, and snaps his chopsticks apart. "Thanks for the food, Kocchan!"

"I didn't... really.." She's so embarrassed. She's always cooked for her brother, but cooking for this many people made her feel so.. fulfilled? She just liked making everyone happy, and it seems like she's succeeded in this.

They all say their thanks, making her only more flustered.

"Oh, right! Hey Yukaricchi, have you seen the posts on the student message board?" He talks with his chopsticks in his mouth, which earns a glare from both their seniors and Minato. "You know how last week, that girl was found by the front gate? Well, there's this rumour that it was an angry spirit from this one ghost story."

"H-Hey! Come on... Nobody believes that stuff, right?!" She begins to sweat nervously. "Right?"

Mitsuru pauses, placing her chopsticks down politely. "So, what is this ghost story about?"

"Wha-?!" Yukari's eyes bulge. "It's... It's probably made-up! So why bother!?"

"I'm interested. Go ahead and tell us." Akihiko leans back on his chair.

"Uh.."

Junpei leans towards the wall, and quickly flicks the light switch off. He then moves close to the middle of the table, and she's not sure where he'd pulled it out from, but he's taken out a flashlight and turned it on.

"Good evening... Welcome to 'Junpei's Believe It, or Don't.' .. There are many strange things in this world.. According to one story.. if you get caught at school late at night, you'll be devoured by a maniacal ghost that roams the hall! The other day, this friend of mine- let's call him Shu... He said to me, 'Junpei, I saw something strange.'.. He sounded serious, so I asked him what he'd seen. He said it was about the girl in 2-E.."

Her attention focuses on that. A girl in her class had something to do with this silly story?

"He claims he saw her go into the school on the night of the incident. I couldn't believe it. She's not the type of girl to be out at night.. But Shu was as white as a sheet! He insisted it was true... Then, it hit me... That ghost must've tried to make her its dinner! And that's why they found her lying on the ground by the gate! I felt a chill run down my spine, and I broke into a cold sweat..." He pauses for a moment. "Yes, there are strange things in this world... Believe it, or don't."

He turns the lights back on, and the upperclassmen share a look.

"What do you think, Akihiko?"

"Huh..? Not one word about my _frankly amazing_ performance just now?"

"I thought it was good, Junpei!" Kotone speaks up.

"It was very atmospheric." Minato agrees, though there's an almost deadpan _sarcastic_ tone to his voice.

"I think it's worth investigating." Sanada-senpai answers the redhead, leaning his face on his hand.

"Still, wow, Yukaricchi. I didn't think you were afraid of ghosts. That's kinda funny."

"Watch it, buddy!" The brunette snaps. "Fine, then! Let's investigate! We'll each ask around for the rest of the week! That goes for you two, Arisato-kun!"

The blue haired boy groans.

"I'll prove to you that this ghost story is just an urban legend!"

"I appreciate that." Kirijo smiles. "The story is a bit unnerving."

"Then, I'll let you guys handle it." He smirks. "Just make sure you sleep with one eye open..."

"Senpai!"

Yukari makes a very scared noise in her throat, her arms covered in goosebumps. "Can we just... finish our meals...?"

* * *

 _June 1st, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

 **"Good evening."**

Minato turns his head towards the voice. Sitting atop his blue throw is the little boy he's met multiple times now. He's always just appeared and disappeared out of no where, but he's never truly felt confused or wondered where he's come from. Somehow... It just feels like the boy is always there.

 **"I came to see you again, as I promised. How are you?"**

He stares at the boy in silence, trying to figure out whether he's supposed to answer the question.. He slowly purses his lips, before answering.

"I'm good."

 **"I'm glad you remembered me."** The boy smiles. **"Now... In another week, the moon will be full again. And the next ordeal will be upon you."**

Another ordeal... This happened last month, and the month before. What's the correlation? What does this mysterious little boy have to do with any of it? Is he related to the Shadows, somehow? He looks exactly like a regular little boy, if it weren't for his unnatural blue eyes and his habit of coming and going whenever he liked.

 **"So, be careful.. I'll come again."**

He disappears, leaving only a tired and very much confused Minato to linger on his thoughts. The child.. didn't seem dangerous. If anything, he was helpful. His warnings helped him prepare for the larger missions that he seemed to know would happen, just out of anxiety and fear of what the 'ordeal' he spoke of was. It was always good to prepare. But something about the pyjama wearing boy simply.. unnerved him.

He gets up from his seat, and sits down at his desk. He needs to write this down.

* * *

 _June 2nd, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

"Mornin', Kotone, Arisato-kun!" Her head turns towards her friend, who was busy adjusting her cardigan around her waist. "You know what? From this day forward, I'm gonna do my best!"

"Good luck." Her brother states simply, dark circles prominent underneath his grey eyes.

"Do you even know what I'm talking about? Ugh..." She huffs, her shoulders slouching. "Anyways, you two better find out as much as you can, too... Remember, you only have until Friday! I'm counting on you two."

Yukari waves the twins goodbye, and runs ahead, the two watch until her back becomes harder and harder to make out from the crowd, and Minato immediately turns towards her, an eyebrow raised.

"Do we actually have to do anything?"

"Mm, knowing Yukari-san?" She laughs lightly. "Probably not."

* * *

 _June 2nd, 2009._  
 _After School._

She sits inside of the nurse's office, busy doing her weekly work as a member of the school health committee. It was a requirement, after all, so she'd decided that everything would be quieter if she'd joined this committee instead of the library one. The only other member was an older girl in her year, Hasegawa Saori. She was a pretty girl, with a mature air to her that was rather similar to Kirijo-senpai.

She pushes back her chair and stands up. "Well then, I'll have to go get Mr. Edogawa..."

She's rather happily responding to each student's individual problems, giving the answer she finds the most helpful for the situation. Unfortunately, this particular person does not want the school's resident potion brewing nurse to come and help them.

"..Huh? You don't want me to get him? He forces you to take horrible tasting medicine? But.. you won't get any better if you don't take it.." She frowns. "I'm not allowed to give out any medicine myself..."

Kotone wants to speak up about the students just being selfish and taking advantage of Saori, but she keeps her lips zipped. Hasegawa was someone who would feel more troubled by someone else helping her out, feeling a bit bad that she would bother people with her own problems. Even though Kotone didn't really mind, too...

Suddenly, a student with her hair tied into a pair of twin buns bursts into the nurse's office.

"Saori-san!" This girl.. is vaguely familiar. She's.. probably the student who came in the other week.

"Oh, Higashida-san. I'm sorry, I'm a little right busy now..."

"Oh, it's okay! It'll be quick!" That doesn't sound good. "Um.. about the notes I borrowed.."

"My notes..? Oh, right.."

"Michi lost them. I'm sorry, I'll make sure I yell at her!" The girl bows in apology.

"Huh? ...Oh, that's fine."

"Really?! Well.. um, see you!" The girl exits as quickly as she entered, an almost relieved tone in her voice at how much of a doormat Saori was.

There's a quiet silence, and the student she was helping out quickly speaks up, reminding the two girls that they're still there.

"I'm sorry.. So, like I was saying, Mr. Edogawa needs to come here to help you out.."

Eventually, the students coming in slows to a stop, and the two finally decide to take a small break, and begin to pack their things up.

"Whew... Today was pretty rough, don't you think?"

She stops placing her books inside her bag, having tried catching up on a bit of studying whilst working, and turns towards the girl. "Wanna grab something to eat?"

"Oh, sorry... I'm not allowed to do things like that." Saori frowns, her eyebrows knit together. "My family is really strict.. I'm really sorry."

"You don't need to apologise! I just wanted to know, is all."

Hasegawa smiles, but there's a hint of sadness behind it. "Oh right, didn't we get homework today? I should make use of this time to get it done... Oh.. wait, my notes..."

"Do you want to borrow mine? I finished my work in between the students pouring in, haha."

"Huh? Oh, no, it's okay! I was just thinking that my homework would be a lot easier if I had the notes I gave her.." She sighs, shrugging her shoulders. "Well, there's no point complaining about what I don't have."

She can't hold back her thoughts anymore. "But she's being horrible to you!"

"You think so? Haha, thanks.. you're such a nice person." Saori smiles, and looks back at the clock. "Oh, it's nearly time. I'll go get Mr. Edogawa. Could you lock up the shelves?"

Kotone nods, and grabs the keys from the desk as the other girl leaves the office.

* * *

 _June 5th, 2009.  
Evening._

The group all sits in the living room, crowding around Yukari as she speaks to them all, having called this makeshift meeting.

"So, as we all agreed on Monday, we'll now discuss what we learned."

"Wow, you're really into this." Junpei grins his big toothy grin, leaning back on the couch with his arms behind his head.

"Of course! I got some real good info." She places her hands on her hips, pride filling her posture. "It turns out, no angry ghost was involved."

"Oh, so _that's_ what's important, huh?" He snickers.

"Hmph. First off, let's talk about how this rumour got started. Since the girl was found on school grounds, there's at least one similarity to the ghost story. But, why did the rumour spread around so fast, if this was the first time anything happened?"

Minato raises his hand, as though they're apart of a lecture. "It was the third time."

"Correct!" She smiles. "But, I was really surprised when I found out the reason.. over the next few days, there were two more similar incidents. All three victims had to be hospitalised. No wonder people talked."

Wow, so Yukari really did go into detailed research on this... She's also rather surprised her brother seemed to have known the answers. Did he also research some of this? No.. it's more likely he's just been hanging around the halls listening in to things people say.

"Next.. The victims are in different classes, and they don't seem to be connected. However, they did have one thing in common. What was it?"

"What is this, a quiz show?" Iori huffs. "Do _you_ know?"

"They hung out together." He barely looks up from his fingernails.

"Right! And it wasn't just once or twice, either. They got in with a bad crowd, and were always out late. It can't just be a coincidence. So, we're going to find out what happened! We'll do some field research!"

"Field research?" Both Kotone and Junpei ask at the same time.

"Yeah, there was this one place where the three victims were regulars."

"Wait, wait! You're not talkin' about that place behind Port Island Station, are you?" The baseball hat wearing boy's eyes bulge in disbelief. No wonder he reacted the way he did. She'd only seen the place on her way home, but it was shifty and smelled of cigarette smoke.

"Oh, you're familiar with it?"

"You can't go there! I've heard some bad rumours about that place!"

"Is that so? Well then, we should all go together. Arisato-kun, Kotone, you'll come, right?"

"Sure." Minato places his book down.

"Um.. I'm a little scared to go..." She covers her face with her hands, too embarrassed.

"Don't worry, I'm sure Junpei is just exaggerating like he always does."

Junpei sighs. "Forget it... that place is bad news. I mean, don't you think we're getting in over our heads?"

"Up until now, all we've done is take orders." The shorter girl crosses her arms. "Does that feel right to you?"

She's not wrong.. All they have done is listen to what the upperclassmen tell them to do. Maybe the twins were okay with that, but it seemed like the other second year members weren't as fine with that.

"I know what you mean, but... Man, did you have to say it like that?" He grumbles. "Guess I don't have a choice, do I? Alright, I guess we'll go tomorrow night."

She can hear him mumble something like 'we're so screwed' under his breath, and the group splits up to go do their own things. Oh boy... looks like she's going to be spending all tomorrow freaking out over their plans.

* * *

June 6th, 2009.  
Evening.

"Man, this is such a bad idea... Bringing two pretty girls _**there**_ is like wandering into a lion's den with steaks strapped to my face.." Iori-kun clearly doesn't think this is a good idea, and she has to agree with him. It just doesn't sound very safe. Nothing they did was safe, but at least they could fight back in Tartarus. Yukari, however, was more stubborn than a bull. "How could you be afraid of ghosts, but not this?"

They'd stepped off the train, and began to look around. They needed to find the entrance to the hang out spot behind the train station...

"I mean, it's easy to be afraid of something you can't see, right?"

"Actually, I'm more worried about things I _**can**_ see! Like bats, and knives!" They'd already come this far, though...

"Big deal, so it's a little dangerous." Yukari gives a bright grin. "Come on, it'll be an adventure!"

"More like a suicide mission..."

Kotone thinks for a moment, before looking up at Junpei through her thick eyelashes. "You'll protect us, right?"

He turns the same colour as a tomato.

"H-huh? You know it! Leave it to me! Can't trust that brother of yours with anything, huh?" He puts on a confident face, and throws an arm around the blue haired teenager, dragging him by the throat to follow their iron willed 'leader'. "Come on, let's go!"

Well, that works.. She'll have to remember that one.

"I found the entrance!"

Well.. here it goes. The four enter the back alley slowly, the only ones stepping with any form of confidence were Yukari and Minato, the latter potentially not even caring about what was actually going on. Maybe he just came along for the sake of coming along.  
In this hang out location, several men and women sit around, smoking and chatting, several drinking alcohol. A group of older people, potentially college aged, sat in a circle, talking about something related to someone who had spoken back to one of them.

"Who the hell?" One of them, with a mullet and a pretty nasty looking piercing, suddenly speaks up. "Seriously, they're wearing uniforms?"

"Aren't those Gekkoukan High's?"

"Oh boy, oh jeez... this is so much worse than I thought..." He begins to pull his hat down, trying to make himself disappear.

"Stop gawking, Junpei."

"I can't help it!"

The group of chatting punks stand up, each one giving their best attempts at intimidating glares. "I think you took a wrong turn somewhere."

"Having you around here would kill the mood!" His blond friend agrees. "Go home, Goatee."

"G-Goatee?" Junpei looks around, and quickly points at his face. "Oh, you mean me.."

"Why do we need _your_ permission to come here?" The amount of scathing anger in Yukari's tone is enough to freak out Kotone, who'd been a few steps behind Junpei.

"You've got a lotta spunk, I like that." The creepiest looking one of the bunch grins, his teeth disgustingly yellow.

"Hey! Are you one of those people who always says the wrong damn thing?! Take a look around you!" The wonder twins slowly take a few steps away from the pair beginning to argue. This clearly wasn't a very good place for the two idiot's to fight like always, but it felt like it was going to start.

"What's that supposed to mean? Anyway, don't let this punk scum scare you."

The leader of the gang clicks his tongue. "Punk scum, huh..?"

Junpei nearly looses his cool. "We're sorry! She didn't mean anything by it! She's just spirited, is all! She's a nice girl!"

"Come on, speak up." The one with a chain piercing leans into Minato's face, who had taken a few silent steps in front of his younger sister.

"How impressive. You chained your nose to your face so you wouldn't lose it." She immediately grabs the back of his shirt, trying to give him a sign to just stop talking.

The group of ruffians, however, found this extremely funny, laughing loudly and yelling things like ' _It makes sense now!_ ' and ' _Dude, he got you there!_ '. If anything, they were only adding more oil to this burning fire, and the outcome didn't look very pretty.

"Get fucked, asshole!" The scum throws a heavy punch, which results in her brother gracefully dodging and Kotone getting punched square in the face, having not been expecting the punch like her brother was.

She hits the ground, and the man immediately seems to freak out a little, obviously surprised he'd hit a girl. Her pale fingers reach up to touch where she was hit, particularly her nose area, only to find the tips stained with blood, and a distinct iron smell in her head. Oh man... she's starting to feel a little lightheaded.. she doesn't think she's ever been punched before, but now that she knows the sensation, she'll never forget it. Her ears are ringing, and there's nothing but pain.  
God, it really hurts.

"Holy shit!"

"Kotone!"

And like something's possessed him, Minato slams his fist into the man's face, nothing but tranquil anger on his face.

* * *

junpei is a good boy i just love making fun of him  
a long one to apologise for last chapter

i was bored so heres a quick fact abt me!  
i went to see logan with two of my friends the other week  
and here in aus that movies ma 15+ so i could see it  
we had to bring id, anyway so we go to buy the tickets  
and the lady looks me dead in the fucking eyes and goes  
"... youre 15+? can i see ur id"  
and i fucking break into a cold sweat.

like.. im the oldest of my friends, but i also happen to be the shortest,  
and i can get into places for free by pretending im 12 or under  
so, i had figured she would want to see my id anyway but..  
hearing those words made me feel like a criminal lmao


	15. decision (chapter 14)

local homeless man saves a group of idiot teenagers playing scooby doo

* * *

"Oh man, _dude_ , you hit a hot chick!"

"Both of them are pretty little things, huh? We should post some pics that'll make their daddies cry!"

While Junpei steps in front of both girls, Minato can see nothing but red. The damned asshole hit his sister, right in the fucking face, and it was his fault! He slams his fist straight into the punk's face, sending the older man flying back a few steps. A growl leaves his lips, and he reaches up to check if his piercing was still in tact. He's damn lucky it, is if Minato had enough strength behind his hits, he'd definitely try punching the lights out of this ass hat.

"Alright, that's enough." A deeper voice, but a very familiar one snaps him out of it. "They just didn't know what they were getting into."

"And who the hell are you?" The figure takes steps closer and closer to the pair of fighting boys, finally stepping into the light. Now he knows where he recognised that voice from, as the long red coat and messy dark hair isn't very hard to forget.

"The guy from the hospital.." Yukari murmurs.

"I'll get rid of them, alright?" Tall and menacing, anyone would listen to what the stranger from before would say. Except for these idiots... of course.

"It's too damn late for that!" The one with dyed hair yells. "You're going down too!"

The man clicks his tongue, sending a spine chilling glare down at the delinquents. "I don't have time for this."

"Don't think you're hot shit!" The punk throws a punch, which is easily dodged, and returned with a powerful headbutt, sending the blond to his knees. He didn't even need to take his hands out of his pockets to do that. And the man gasps for air, the pain shooting through his forehead. "Ugh- Shit! You wanna go?"

"Do you want to give it a try?" A threat that even these dumbasses wouldn't want to go through with. It's evident enough by how the group of stooges begin to scramble together, all looking ready to break the crowded circle in order to escape.

"Wait, shit, you're that Aragaki guy, aren't you?!" Was that his name? Aragaki... It's a strange one, yet oddly fitting. "You hang out here, but you're tryin' to get on our bad side?!"

"I don't remember ever being on your _good_ side." Aragaki growls, but never breaks eye contact. It seems like the intimidating tactic scares them off, as the men mutter a quiet 'screw this' underneath their breathes as they run off, with the giggling women behind them.

Yukari looks from the disappearing backs of the group of delinquents, to the shift man who had rescued them. She bows her head as politely as she can. "Um, thank yo-"

"You clowns were at Aki's hospital room... **_Damn it_**. Fucking dumbasses, the lot of you." His eyes move from the blue haired boy, to Kotone, who had been trying to get rid off the scarlet blood off her face. He approaches, and pulls a handkerchief out of his pocket, throwing it carelessly onto the girl's lap. "Jesus Christ... Go home. You don't belong here."

"Please, wait!" Short curls bounce as the second year girl steps forward to try and stop their quickly leaving saviour. "We're so sorry, but we came here for a reason! We needed information!"

He turns back, a frown on his face. "Did Aki tell you to come here?"

"No, he didn't.." Kotone mumbles, trying to figure out whether or not the handkerchief she'd been given was even clean. After all, this Aragaki fellow didn't exactly look like he showered very often. He grumbles something underneath his breath, before giving a quick huff.

"...Is it about that stupid ghost story?"

"How did you know?" Yukari asks.

"You're uniforms. It's obvious you're here about the rumours." He sighs. "Those girls who wound up in hospital were here every night talkin' shit, about the things they'd done while bullying a classmate named Yamagishi."

The group gasps. Kotone looks at the ground, a wash of guilt overcoming her.

"So she was being bullied.."

"That's why everyone's freaking out. They all reckon Yamagishi's vengeful spirit got them."

"Her vengeful spirit?!" She shakes to a stand, and immediately takes a few steps towards Aragaki, what could count as an attempt at a very angry look through the pain on her face. "What do you mean by that?!"

"You don't know? They say that Yamagishi kid might be dead."

She covers her mouth in shock, tears threatening to leave her eyes. From what Minato knew, the girl and his sister shared their class. Not only that.. but since those girl's they saw last week were the ones to turn up in hospital.. wouldn't that make the girl he met a while ago this Yamagishi girl? His sister seemed to be rather protective of her, despite the fact it didn't seem like they'd talked before then, or very much afterward.

"Word has it she hasn't been home in a week. You go to school with her and you really didn't know?"

"... Mr. Ekoda... he.. he said she was just sick, you see..?" She clearly was distraught over this news. "If.. If I hadn't listened to her every time she told me she was fine..."

"Look, that's all I know about it. Are we done here?"

Junpei, in a very out of character moment, sits there stroking his goatee like he's some old wizard, snapping out of his thoughts when Aragaki asks a question. "Oh! Yes! Thank you very much for your help!"

He shoves Minato's head into a bow, grumbling something about paying his respects to the person who saved them.

"Thanks."

"Thank you very much!" Yukari and Kotone practically speak at the same time, both also bowing their heads.

"Don't pull stupid shit like this again, alright?" He pauses, and turns to the red eyed girl. "Get Aki and Kirijo to get that checked out for you."

"You're a big softie, aren't you?" The archer giggles softly, but quickly apologises once she's growled at.

"Whatever. Don't you all come back here." He turns his back the way he came, and leaves a group of somewhat shaken teenagers to collect what they'd learnt and return to the dormitory, but not before purchasing something to keep their friend's nose from beginning to bleed again..

* * *

 _June 8th, 2009._  
 _Lunchtime._

The three from class 2-D had come to the faculty office ask Mr. Ekoda questions about Yamagishi Fuuka, but were surprised to find Mitsuru, Kotone and another girl already at his desk.

"Kirijo-senpai! Why are you here?" Yukari adjusts her collar slightly, surprised to see their redheaded senpai and their leader's sister sitting side by side with another girl, who had the guiltiest look on her face.

"Same reason as you." She turns towards the teacher. "Mr. Ekoda, we're here to ask you about a student named Yamagishi Fuuka."

"I didn't.. I didn't mean for it to turn out like this!" The _gyaru_ beside them looks ready to break into tears.

"What did you _do_ to Yamagishi?"

"Now hang on just a moment, Kirijo. This isn't an interrogation." The teacher pipes up, before turning an eye to the girl with dyed hair. "Moriyama, you don't have to say anything at all if you don't want to. You wouldn't want to give her the wrong idea."

"The wrong idea?!" Kotone slams her hands down on the table. "And just what constitutes as the wrong idea t-"

She's stopped by Mitsuru, and very begrudgingly sits back down in silence. And the tanned girl begins to speak, her voice little more than a whisper and her body shaking.

"We were... we were just messing around! It was May 29th.. we took Fuuka to the gym.. and locked the door from the outside."

"You locked her in?!" Junpei could hardly belive what he was hearing.

"And then, later.. Maki returned to the school alone, because she was afraid we'd get in trouble if Fuuka killed herself.." Her voice begins to get more and more quivery, the more she confesses what she had done. "But, she never came back... and when the next morning came around.."

"She was found lying on the ground by the gate." Yukari finishes, crossing her arms.

"I was scared! I went to the gym, thinking that I had to let Fuuka out, and the door was still locked! But, when I opened it up, Fuuka had vanished!"

"Vanished..? Oh, I see." The redhead sighs, having clearly found out what the truth behind this was, but nobody else seems to have picked up the pieces. "Did you notice anything odd about your friends who were hospitalised?"

"Voices.. they all said they heard creepy voices calling out to them!"

"Voices?" The three all murmur to themselves, sharing looks of confusion.

"I see... it's definitely _them_. Until know, there was no way of knowing how or why some people are conscious during the Dark Hour... But, it's the voice; it draws them in. It's not a random phenomenon. They're clearly targeting humans..." She sighs, and immediately turns her harsh gaze onto the middle aged man, who looks increasingly more uncomfortable with every word. "In any case... Mr. Ekoda, you've been marking Yamagishi's absences as 'illness'. But in reality, she was missing. You must have been aware of that. What was your intention?"

"I was thinking of the students, of course. You children may not understand, but we have to consider the future of everyone affected."

"You mean, you chose to not report this to the police for the 'good of the class'."

"I-It was in her best interest. I wouldn't want her record to be stained by something like this. Her parents agree!"

"So to protect your career, you ignored your responsibility as a teacher... How dispicable!" He gasps, obviously in fear. Being lectured by Kirijo Mitsuru was already terrifying thanks to her sheer aura, but the fact she could make it impossible for you to ever work again in the Iwatodai area with a flick of her fingers must've made it even more frightening for the teacher.

I-I didnt.. I was just..."

"I don't want to hear it. As for you, Moriyama. Stay at our dorm tonight; it's the safest place." Mitsuru gets up from where she sits, motioning for the other two girls to join her. "Meet me in the School Council's room after school. We'll discuss how we handle this then. Don't worry, we'll recover Yamagishi Fuuka at all costs. She's still most likely inside of the school."

"R-Right!"

* * *

 _June 8th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"Tonight, we're going to infiltrate the school building. Our objective is to rescue Yamagishi Fuuka. We'll keep Moriyama Natsuki protective custody at the dorm. That way, we'll be able to do something immediately if something happens to her."

"Why at night? At night, this place turns into.." Yukari gets cut off.

"Exactly. Yamagishi's wandered into Tartarus."

"Then, ever since Yamagishi got locked in the gym, she's been stuck there?!"

"That's correct."

"B-But that was ten days ago!" Junpei exclaims, his eyes wide with disbelief. And who could believe it? They could barely survive one hour inside of Tartarus, but ten days was absolutely impossible, especially for someone without a Persona. "That means.."

"Not necessarily. We can't jump to conclusions." Akihiko leans back on his chair. "Tartarus only appears during the Dark Hour. So, what about the rest of the day?"

The group stays silent for a moment, trying to think of an answer to this question. What did happen to the spiralling tower during the regular hours of the day? Sure, it's structure returned to being the school, but what happened to anything and anyone inside of it? Normal people showed back up with Apathy Syndrome, but what would happen to someone with the potential?

"This is only a theory, but I think time may function differently with respect to Tartarus. So, even though it's been ten days for us, perhaps only ten hours have passed for her." It's a smart idea, one they were more surprised to not hear come from Mitsuru. "It's possible that she's still alive."

"Sanada-senpai, with all due respect, but how would she be able to survive ten hours inside of Tartarus!? We barely survive one hour inside there, and I couldn't even last half an hour before I could summon my Persona!" Kotone cries, gaining all attention. "The Dark Hour is brutal! I _want_ to be optimistic, I really do! But.. it just doesn't seem... possible."

"That's true..." Yukari's expression darkens. "Even if she's still alive, we might not be able to get to her..."

"Are you two just going to let her die, then?!" The two girls flinch, and both immediately zip their lips. Akihiko was a force to be reckoned with, and he's never yelled at anyone before. He sighs. "... I have an idea. Let's try to enter Tartarus exactly how Yamagishi did. We'll go to the gym and wait for midnight. That's the quickest way."

"Is that.. really going to work?"

"Honestly, I have reservations. If something goes wrong, you could all end up lost in Tartarus." Mitsuru pauses. "But..."

"I wont stand by and do nothing if there's a chance to save her!" He clenches a gloved fist, his eyes hard. "I'd never forgive myself... If you guys don't want to go, then I'll go by myself."

"Senpai..." Her fingers tighten, nails cutting into the skin of her palms. She feels awful, everyone could see that on her face. Minato just simply gets this feeling it's not just about the fact she'd said something insensitive to their senpai, but there was another reason behind it as well. The question was.. would she tell him?

Mitsuru sighs again, for possibly the umpteenth time that day. "Alright.. We're aware of the risks, but we can't just leave her there."

"I agree." The choker wearing girl nods her head. "We won't know until we try."

"Yeah.. we have to try and save her.. so myself.. and that Moriyama girl.. can apologise."

"Cool, we get to sneak into the school!" He snickers. "In that case, I know just what to do.."

* * *

anyway i title this chapter  
'kotone sits there angry at her self for being a dumbass and not helping fuuka out earlier'  
i love u akihiko... u big smart dumb  
this was just more setting up the next chapter? so much dialogue lmao

my least favourite thing atlus did (other than cast femc aside) was flanderize akihiko to hell!  
in p3 he's a smart and confident senpai with issues that he eventually gets over and absolutely zero tact or social skills,  
but any time he shows up in anything else... hes... a protein loving idiot.  
i fuckin! hate it so much. im going to confiscate the entire p3 cast from atlus' hands

hope y'all enjoyed


	16. separation (chapter 15)

Everyone sits inside the Operations Room, ready to go rescue Yamagishi Fuuka. They all are there and counted for, weapons sitting by the door, ready to be picked up, with exception to the Chairman. Kirijo had been trying for quite some time now to get a hold of him, but he didn't seem to be picking up, despite how much of an emergency this all was.

"I guess we can handle it ourselves." Yukari states simply, not really seeing any problems with whether or not the Chairman was here.

"There's one problem, though. Without the Chairman's help, I'm not sure how we can get inside the school..." The stress painted on the upperclassman's face is evident.

"No need to worry. I've got it all set to go." Junpei speaks up with a large grin on his face, as though he'd predicted something like this would happen. Kotone wagers he just wanted to do something to impress the seniors, but she keeps her lips zipped.

"...Set to go? An explosive?" She chuckles, a smile on her face. "Alright, I'll let you handle this."

Oh man, if Junpei does have an explosive, what would that mean for the structure of the school and of Tartarus? Where would he have gotten his hands on an explosive? And how was Kirijo-senpai excited about something like that?! Didn't her family own the school?! Then again, she'd be able to cover up something like this easily; considering how involved in SEES' activities the Kirijo Group seemed to be...

"We don't have time to waste. Let's go." The two upperclassmen walk out of the room, leaving only the four second years behind.

"An explosive? For real?" Yukari genuinely sounds impressed.

"Nah... All I did was unlock a door.."

* * *

"See? We got in no problem! Man, I'm a genius!"

The group stands inside of the hall towards the gym, having come there trying to see if the gym door might be unlocked by some miracle. Of course, it wasn't, but Junpei had unlocked the door inside the school. So, they just had to find the key.

"You unlocked it earlier... _Tres bien_!" She'd noticed this before, but the senior's must've taken a course in French sometime in the past. Mitsuru seemed particularly fond of sprinkling it into her sentences, however. Maybe she just had an interest in languages?

" _Oui._ " A thinly veiled joke(?) from Sanada-senpai. "No time for compliments. Let's go."

"What's the big deal..." Yukari murmurs, having pulled her cardigan back on.

".. T-Tray ben? What is that, French?" Junpei asks, tilting his head to one side. "Tch.. lousy seniors and their lousy French.."

"They're far away, Junpei. Not deaf." Minato points out, gesturing to the two who were still very clearly within earshot of the four juniors. Junpei's face reddens with embarrassment, and the two girls begin to laugh a little before following their seniors through the hallways and up the staircase to the second floor, and enter class 2-F.

It's a terrifying place to be in, especially at the dead of night. It's quiet, with shadows covering the entirety of the classroom, and there's an eery silence that covers the entire room. It's enough for anyone to be a little frightened.

Yukari just happened to be more vocal about it. "Can we turn on the lights...?"

"Aww, are you scared?" Iori speaks in a baby voice, clearly making fun of their resident spectrophobiac.

"No! ...ugh, Stupei."

"Stop callin' me that!"

"Quiet." Akihiko snaps, pushing his finger to his lips. "It's better if we leave 'em off. They cut the power at night anyway."

"I don't like sneaking around..."

Mitsuru snaps her fingers. "First, we have to find the key to the gym. We'll split up into three groups and meet up in the main hallway on the first floor. Understood?"

"The Faculty Office, huh? Hey, maybe we'll find some test questions!" Junpei laughs, obviously more excited for this mission than before. Anything to cheat at a test, she'd suppose.

"Are you planning to something unscrupulous under my supervision?" She smiles, but it's an icy cold expression. "If so, expect to be _severely_ punished."

"It-It was a joke! I'd never do something like that!" His laughter becomes weaker and weaker, until it dies down.

"...Perhaps it'd be best if I take Iori to the janitor's room. Kotone, you and Akihiko head to the faculty office. Takeba, Arisato, you two wait at the staircase to make sure none of the guards catch us."

"Alright."

"Okay!"

* * *

The pair are given a quick ' _good luck_ ' by Yukari and Minato, and they descend down the staircase. The main hallway is quiet, only lit up by the soft moonlight dancing around shadows. Silence fills the air between the senior and junior, as she silently bounces from her heels to the tips of her toes, her hands tight around her skirt. They'd left their weapons with the two 'watch guards', so all she had to guard herself was a good kick to the shins... Hopefully if anything bad happened before they returned, she'd be close enough to Akihiko for him to hear her scream.  
Shadows were one thing, but a full grown man trying to drag her out to the police station while she didn't have any of the boosted abilities provided by the Dark Hour? She's not exactly a grade A athlete.

"...?" He suddenly grabs her wrist, pulling her to the side, whispering. "Hold up, someone's coming!"

Footsteps come closer and closer, filling the silence with the sound of shoes against the marble stone flooring. "Who'd be here at this hour...? We should hide."

He quickly pulls her over to the pillar, something that stands right in the middle of the school's main hallway. They stand only a breath away, so close she can feel his hot breath brushing her hair. Her cheeks sting with that familiar feeling; her face heats up, making the summer heat only worse. Everything about this situation made her acutely remember exactly what season this was, the proximity of their bodies, the warm breathing and feeling of another living body against her own, her cheeks turning the same colour as her eyes; or the same colour as his vest. Everything's made her acutely aware of her being in ridiculously close quarters, with her back against marble stone, to her attractive senior.

A flashlight shines over the open room, running over their hiding spot multiple times, as though the guard had seen them. Without realising, she holds her breath, and instinctively grabs at his vest, the worry and fear of being caught sending a shiver down her spine. She's never really done anything like this before. She liked to keep herself in everyone's good graces, thinking it would be disrespectful to both the people who took care of her, and her late parents, if she started doing anything that constituted as delinquent behaviour.

However, slowly, the footsteps begin to fade away, and she finally sighs out the breath she'd kept in. It seems like even Sanada-senpai was holding his breath.

"Whew.. Just a security guard." He looks down, concern in his grey eyes. "Are you alright? You look pretty shook up."

"Will we be arrested?"

"Well, considering that we're sneaking around the faculty offices after hours, we'll at least be expelled." He laughs, and ruffles her hair. "Let's make sure we're not caught."

He looks around the corner, trying to make sure the guard is gone, before signalling for her to follow. "Let's go."

The two quickly run across the hall, trying to make as little noise as they can, and enter the faculty hallway. She takes a moment to check each sign, making sure which one they were supposed to head into, before sliding open the door to the office quietly.

* * *

They'd been searching for the key for quite some time now, so much that she doubted there was much time left before the Dark Hour began. They only had a little more left.. they needed to find the key before it was too late.

There's a jingle of keys, and Akihiko excitedly pulls a key out, and shows it to her.

"Here, I found it! The gym storage key!"

"Senpai, that's not it."

"Huh!? What, it was just the regular gym key?" The excitement dies down from his face, and he almost reminds her of a puppy. "...I-I see."

He continues to rummage through the keys, and she begins to help by moving papers and books out of the way to see if a key's buried underneath anything. She spots a small key right next to where he's looking, and she can't help but begin to giggle a little bit, her hand reaching to cover her mouth in an attempt to hide her laughter. In bold black letters, there's a tag that says 'Gym'.

"No good.. It's not here." He moves away from the key rack. "It must be in the janitor's room, where Mitsuru and Junpei went."

As he begins to walk out, she continues to stare at the key, unable to stop her laughter now.

"What're you waiting for? Let's go. And why are you laughing?"

She points. "It's... right there..."

"What!? How in the... Where on earth did that come from!?" He walks back over, grabbing the key from underneath the folder. "Well.. at least we found it. Come on, let's find the others!"

"Okay, senpai!"

"They said to meet up in the main hallway, right? We should get going."

* * *

Mitsuru and the others were already waiting in the entrance hall, all standing in a circle waiting for the pair to finally arrive, hopefully with the key. The three juniors were making idle chatter, whilst Kirijo stood there, eyes focused on the way they were coming from. Once they reached the group, she speaks up.

"Did you find the key?"

"Yeah, piece of cake!" He shows off the key.

"Senpai didn't notice it at all in the beginning!" She giggles. "I had to point it out after he thought it wasn't there."

"Shush."

"Alright, alright." Mitsuru tries calming down the sudden burst of laughter, hoping to not be caught. "We'll divide into teams again. Four of you will enter Tartarus, and one of you will remain outside with me. Once the Dark Hour has begun, I'll determine Yamagishi's position."

"I'll go. I'd say the Arisato pair come, too. They're good at taking the lead, and it'll be better with our usual leader there." The twins nod their heads, one giving a thumbs up and the other simply giving a quiet ' _understood_ '.

"Then, I'll be the third-" Yukari is cut off by Junpei's quick ' _wait a second!_ '.

"Remember how I accidentally screwed up on the monorail?" Kotone mumbles ' _accidentally_ ' under her breath, in an almost sarcastic tone. They all knew it wasn't an accident, but they didn't mind letting him believe it. "Gimme a chance to make up for that!"

"Oh, come on! It's not always about **_you_**! Besides, you didn't accidentally screw up!"

"Alright, Junpei, we'll give you another shot."

"Sweet! Thanks!"

"Seriously...?"

"What's wrong, Takeba? You don't want to say behind with Mitsuru?" Akihiko grins, his eyes looking at each girl. Could he tell there's some form of animosity? No.. The Sanada-senpai she knows was too dense for that sort of thing..

"Um, no, it's fine..." She begins to silently hand out the weapons, keeping her mouth closed from any more comments.

"It's almost time." Kirijo speaks up, and with a quick 'Let's go!' from their silver haired senior, they head off to the gym, and wait.

* * *

 _June 8th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

The two girls sit quietly inside of Tartarus' entrance, with one girl awkwardly adjusting her sleeves, and the other trying to fix their transceiver.

"There's been no word... I can't find them, and the sensitivity is on high.." The redhead sighs, continuing to adjust the antenna, until a soft buzz and a voice came through.

"Mitsuru, can you hear me?!" It's a man's voice. Akihiko.

"This is Mitsuru, I've confirmed your position." She holds her Evoker to her head, and summons her Persona, Penthesilea. "You're higher up than I expected... You're barely in communication range. Is everyone alright?"

His voice begins to get more and more distorted, and she can barely make out his words. "..don't know... got seper..."

"Akihiko?! Come in, Akihiko!"

".. Is he out of range?" Yukari asks, moving closer to the machine and her senior. "I'm starting to get worried.."

* * *

Her eyes flutter open slowly, her eyelashes blocking her vision for a moment until she completely wakes up. Did she.. .fall unconscious? Slowly, she pulls herself into a sitting position, expecting to find one of the boys who had entered Tartarus with her, only to find herself all alone. Not her brother, not Iori-kun, and not Sanada-senpai. She's all by herself. She can't even hear the comforting voice of Kirijo-senpai, who normally led them around the labyrinth with an easy and confident tone.

A shiver runs up her spine; Tartarus was always so _cold_ , but it wasn't just a regular drop in temperature sort of cold. It was the sort of chill that she could feel in her soul, one that made her heart race with fear. It would set off her flight or fight response, and would make every inch of her quiver. This was the worst feeling on earth, no doubt about it. She felt this so often in the beginning years of getting used to the Dark Hour; back when she only thought it was a natural occurrence that everyone would put up with. She would cover her ears, and squeeze her eyes shut, but nothing could stop the chills creeping up her skin. She would spend every night hiding underneath her thick quilts, hoping that the monsters giving her those scary feelings would disappear.

Her hand covers her heart. "We're all alone, Urania.. We'll have to fight hard to find the others.. We can't fall behind."

She stands up, and grabs hold of her naginata. She's not alone, her Persona is still with her. Even if it's just another form of _herself_.. it's still a comforting presence. She's someone else with her Persona around. They would, and _will_ , fight as one, in perfect unison.

She needs to find those boys..

She's broken out of her thoughts by loud static, and Mitsuru desperately trying to communicate with her.

 _"Too.. far... provid... back up.."_ More buzzing noises, and she almost wants to plug her ears. _"You got s- .. from Akihi-"_

The communication link's been lost, she knows when she can't hear anything but her heart racing. It's too far for there to be anymore support from Kirijo. This means, that no matter how high they continue to climb the tower, eventually, they wont get any more ground support. She looks around as she walks. The appearance of this floor is very similar to the floors they've been working their way up. There wasn't much longer until they lost complete access, then...

She fights off small Shadows, her relief evident that they aren't anything like the guardians they'd fought on other floors, when she gets another sudden static shot through her brain.

 _"...Akihiko and... thers.. aren't... this floor..."_

Another voice breaks the communication. A soft, gentle voice of a girl. _"Who's there...? ... Are you human?"_

Was that... Yamagishi?! Her slow walk around the floor speeds up to a run; she needs to find Yamagishi! She needs to say sorry, for never trying to intervene even though she knew that she was being bullied! She needs to say sorry, for listening to what she said and not helping out! She has to apologise.. She feels no better than the girls doing the bullying.

She finds the staircase, and relief washes over her. She heads up the staircase, and is bombarded with yet another message.

 _"What's y- ... current loca- .. Reply immed-"_ She could tell how worried Mitsuru was by what little of her words was making it through.

 _"Where am I..? Why am I here..? Please answer me.."_ They're interrupted again by Yamagishi.

She sounds so frightened.. They need to rescue her! They know she's alive still, so all they need to do is bring her out! She slashes her naginata down a dancing Shadow, a resolve in her head. She needs to rescue that gentle girl she'd met. She wants to see her smile; _truly smile_ , instead of that weak and awkward one she gave whenever she was asked if she was okay.

She wants to be friends with this girl.

 _"Can y- ... hear me? ... Please ans-"_

 _"Is someone there...? Please answer me..."_

It was like a mental battle, and the fighting ground was her damn head! They needed to stop.. they needed to find Yamagishi and get her out of here! But, if this was Yamagishi's power as a Persona user.. Then she was absolutely incredible.

She runs up another staircase, and turns around many corners, until she comes face to face with the comforting smiles of the other members of the field team. Everyone was there, her brother, Junpei, and Akihiko. She was so relieved... She runs over, all her worries fading away like a bad dream. Even that chill down her spine begins to slowly leave her, a part of her reminding her that she's no longer alone.

"Hey, there she is! Man, we were worried about you." Iori-kun points to Minato with a grin. "Minato over here threatened to kill one of us if you couldn't be found."

"Shut up."

"I don't think we should enter Tartarus this way again.." Akihiko sighs, stretching out his arms slightly.

"Oh, yeah! Did you hear a voice while you were in here? Uh.. kinda like-"

The girl's soft voice resounds again, only this time, it's clearly coming from the area they're in, and not via a mental link. "Who is this...? Are you human?"

"That's it! That's the voice! It sounded like it came from behind us..."

Stepping out from behind a corner, the pale face and soft short teal locks of Yamagishi Fuuka come into view. Surprise stains her face, at seeing not one, but four people all in school uniforms inside of this maze trap from hell.

"Are you Yamagishi Fuuka?" Sanada-senpai asks, and when she responds with a _'yes!'_ , he smiles. "I'm glad you're okay.. Come with us."

"Wow, you're alive! That's awesome!" Junpei fist pumps, a grin forming on his face. "Never fear, Junpei's here!"

"Oh, thank you so much.. I.." She walks closer to the group, and immediately begins to analyse each member, a spark of recognition on her face at the sight of the Arisato twins. "You two..."

"Looks like we made the right decision. I'll see if I can contact Mitsuru."

"Um.. Where are we..? I was at school, and then.." She looks around, at each intricate design on the black walls. They glowed with an eery shade of purple, but none of the light felt very comfortable.

"Well.. it's a long story. I'll explain when we get outta here." Iori-kun gives a thumbs up.

Akihiko adjusts his communicator, trying to get a connection, but all he gets is buzzing. "Mitsuru, can you hear me? .. Ugh, no good. All I hear is static."

"Um.. Yamagishi-san.. are you hurt?" Kotone asks, instinctively grabbing for her Evoker. Small wounds could be healed with her Persona..but she wasn't Yukari-san. Her Persona was built on attacking and raising the team's offence and defence, with healing as a secondary support ability. "Did you.. um, run into any... monsters?"

"So, there _**are**_ strange creatures in here, then..." She looks around. "I've managed to avoid them so far.."

"Are you serious?!" Akihiko exclaims. "How's that possible?!"

"Um.. it's hard to describe, but.. I can sort of tell where they are.."

"Whaddya mean? Are you psychic?" Minato whacks the boy on the head. "Ow!"

"No.. She has the same power as Mitsuru... Maybe even stronger... since Mitsuru's Persona is more battle-oriented."

"Per...sona?"

Out of his pocket, he produces a shining new Evoker. Man, guy pockets were so deep.. He could hide an entire handgun in those school pants.. She gasps as he hands it over, her hands barely wanting to touch the 'weapon' out of fear.

"Think of it as a lucky charm. It's not a real gun." He looks around, hoping that there'd be an access point close by. "Alright, let's get outta here!"

* * *

They didn't find an access point, but they did find a pretty hallway with a stunning view to the outside. Or, it would be stunning, if it weren't for the green hue over everything and the giant moon. It's just creepy, like this.

"Whoa, check out the moon! I've never seen it so bright.." Iori-kun looks over the edge of the balcony, only to find a good forty-plus floor drop. He backs away, slowly, making a wise decision to not try that again.

"Some research indicates that the Shadows are affected by the phases of the moon." Sanada briefly looks to the shining natural satellite. "Of course, the same can be said for humans."

"That would explain Yukaricchi's mood swings."

"Shut up, Iori-kun!"

"Okay, okay, sorry... and.. hey, wasn't it a full moon the night we went to the monorail?"

"Was it?" A surprised expression forms on Akihiko's face.

"I think so.. Why?"

"Hey, Kotone, Arisato. Did you two see the moon on the night the dorm was attacked, back in April?"

She shivers. She'd never forget that night, not with how similar it was to the accident. Flames, the metal clashing.. an a full moon.

"It was full.." The two spoke, quietly, their eyes not meeting the senior's.

"Today's the eighth... The monorail incident happened last month around the same time.. and the assault on the dorm was a month before that! They were all during a full moon!" He immediately reaches for his communicator. "Mitsuru, are you there!?"

 _"Akihiko...? Shadows-"_

"Hey, can you hear me?! Mitsuru, come in!"

 _"Be caref-"_

"Mitsuru!? Mitsuru!" He curses and puts his communicator away, and Fuuka gains a very troubled expression.

"What is this thing...? It's much bigger than the others... and it's attacking someone.."

"Damn it!"

"Wh-What's going on!?" Junpei seems to be the only one who hasn't caught on to the pattern yet.

"It's one of _**them**_! If my guess is right, they come every full moon!" He immediately begins to run. "We have to hurry!"

* * *

ALRIGHT IM DONE WITH THIS CHAPTER  
another long ass mother fucker FUCK!  
all these chapters are damn akihiko centric ITS NOT MY FAULT  
hes very prominent hes a main character and also p3p is basically an otoge  
... and i love it lmao

anyway.. welcome to friendly reminder the characters in this are teenagers ,,,  
i've never been that close to a cute boy in my life kotone teach me ur ways

hope y'all enjoyed! i had heaps of fun writing it, this was silly


	17. all out (chapter 16)

A bright flash of green light invades Tartarus' entrance, and the rescue group immediately begins to run towards the two down girls, who couldn't seem to fight a pair of giant Shadows no matter what. Yamagishi had warned them that there was something huge, Kirijo had sent her last communication link about the Shadows, but this duo was terrifying to look at. Like all the Shadows before them on full moons, they wore masks. But what did the masks mean?

"Mitsuru!" Both girls looked badly hurt, but the redheaded senior took the cake. She was covered in dirt and cuts, blood stained her normally pristine white blouse, and her hands were gripping tightly onto her Evoker. Beside her was Yukari, trying to help keep their senior up, in a surprising show of care for the woman that she'd normally shown such.. strangely personal anger towards.

"What in the world...!?" It was clear that Fuuka couldn't believe what was seeing. She knew there was monsters inside of this.. place, but nothing with the size or looks of these things. It was like being confronted with the **end of the world**.

"Sanada-senpai! We gotta distract those Shadows somehow!" Iori-kun calls, brandishing his broadsword like a bat, ready to swing when given the order by either their seniors, or their quiet leader.

"I know just how to do it.." Akihiko cups her hands around his mouth, and begins to yell. "Hey! If it's a fight you want, we'll give it to you!"

"Be careful... Normal attacks won't work on these Shadows." Kotone runs over to the woman with curls of wine and the shorter archer, quickly helping Takeba sit Kirijo sit back up. Her hands shake with her Evoker in them, before she shoves the gun to her forehead, and pulls the trigger. There was that warm, iridescent glow of her Persona's gentle figure, and an aura of healing overcomes the small area that the three girls occupied.

Minato quickly joined the other boys on the front line, all prepared for battle. The rescued girl does nothing but watch them, horror on her face that the kind and friendly boys who had saved her, who had finally managed to help her leave that nest of monsters, get ready to fight a pair with strength that didn't measure up to anything she's ever seen before. The pit in her stomach only drops more when the girl from her class, Arisato Kotone if she remembers correctly, joins them, her hands tight around a long pole weapon, an identical gun to the one in her thin and pale hands by the girl's side.

There's a loud rumble of thunder, and electricity snaps down. There's fire everywhere, and the wind that she had thought was non-existent picks up. They're going to fight those gianourmous things? That's suicidal.. That's insane! They used those weapons, they pointed them to their heads, and summoned creatures just like the ones they were fighting. She was given one as well.. Was she able to do something like that, too?

She only snaps out of it at the sound of footsteps ringing all across the empty hallway.

Moriyama.

"F-Fuuka..."

"Why are you here!?" Mitsuru's voice is nothing but a shaky whisper, despite her wounds behind healed, everything still hurt a little bit. She took quite a beating..

"...Moriyama-san!?" Fuuka runs towards the gyaru, desperately trying to get her to exit the labyrinth. "Please, get out of here! It's _**dangerous**_!"

"I... I wanted to tell you... I'm sorry..." She continues to walk further and further into Tartarus, and one of the Shadow's sends a devastating blast towards the high school girl. It edges closer and closer, and all the fighting members can do is yell out for her to get out of the way.

"Moriyama-san! I need to protect her!" Her legs quiver, but she desperately drags her self into a run, placing herself in front of the other girl. Her hands shake, and she points the weapon at her own head. She shivers, every part of her doesn't want to pull the trigger. But that fireball heading towards **_her friend_**.. She pulls the trigger. There's that smashing of glass, and all she can hear is the soft sound of water.  
She's surrounded by _something_ ; but she knows for a fact that nothing touched Moriyama. She can _sense_ it.

"Yamagishi-san!?" Yukari cries, disbelief all over her face.

"A Persona...?" Junpei practically whispers, his eyes running all over the newly summoned Persona. Blonde hair, a beautiful ball gown like body. The most prominent feature was how it protected Fuuka, in a glass cage. It wasn't like any of their Personas. Yamagishi's was different.

 _"...I can see..."_ Her voice was like dripping water. _"I.. I can sense these monsters' weaknesses, somehow.."_

"...Just as I thought." Sanada-senpai nods his head towards the other upperclasman. "Mitsuru, let her take your place."

The group turns back towards the Shadows, and Minato speaks up. "We'll take care of this."

They attack.

* * *

 _"I'll try and find out the enemy's weakness. I'll tell you if I sense any changes!"_ Fuuka is so new to this.. but she's trying her hardest to protect everyone. To be useful to the group. Compared to that, what was she able to do? ..She can't think of this now. Now is the time to fight, and get rid of these monsters for another month.  
...Every month...

The large, kingly Shadow swings his large sword down, an attempt to attack not only the fighters, but the members who couldn't fight as well, only to be blocked by Orpheus' lyre. A swift kick into it's large stomach sends it flying back, but it's clear that the blunt attack did very little; if not no damage on the creature. Her brother clicks his tongue, taking a few steps away before summoning his Persona yet again, a shimmer of red light brings on a burst of flames.

The Shadow falls over, a loud, mechanical screech as there's a loud thud onto the ground. Akihiko points his own Evoker at his forehead, summoning Polydeuces to do some serious damage.

"If blunt force wont work-!" There's a loud flash of lightning, hitting the more effeminate Shadow like it was an iron rod. It screams, it's voice like that of nails scratching on a chalkboard, before this one too, falls to the ground with a loud thump, and the group breathes easily for a moment. "Look, they weren't so tough."

 _"Watch out, they're still alive!"_

Suddenly, large and colourful magical circles appear over the down Shadows, circling around before reentering the pair of enemies. There's a slither of silence, and the two Shadows begin to get back up.

"Of course they are.." Minato murmurs. "Orpheus!"

He attempts to burn the Shadow again, only for the flames to be broken through with a slash of it's sword. Damn it! What's going on here?! The Empress summons up a storm like gale, sending all of the fighters flying back with a yell. Why aren't their attacks working anymore!? Both Junpei and Akihiko get back up, a pair of stubborn but determined men, running towards the Shadows, only to be sent back again by the Emperor's sword slamming into them.

No wonder Takeba and Kirijo were covered in wounds.. These things hit ridiculously hard. Is this what happened to them, as well? They were going fine until the Shadows suddenly became immune to any of their attacks? How were they supposed to win this thing?

 _"Everyone! Please, be careful! The enemy is weak to only ice, this time!"_

Mitsuru desperately stands up, her arms shaking as she desperately points her Evoker to her head. "If they're weak to ice... Penthesilea!"

This was the first time most of the new members had seen Kirijo's Persona. It was tall, elegant and mostly blue and black. It had beautiful armour on, covering it's body and face, and wielded a rapier in one hand and a dagger in the other. A small crown sits atop it's head, it's bright golden hue a large contrast from the otherwise cool toned Persona. A chill fills the air, and the two Shadows are frozen from the bottom up, being incased in the heir to the Kirijo Group's icy grasp.

"I can.. still fight too!" Yukari pulls herself up and summons Io, not one to back down now that everyone was going to fight tooth and nail, who brings a hurricane of high velocity winds, smashing the ice but dealing even more damage to the enemies.

There's another twirl of the creatures' rod and sword, and that damned magic circle appears again. That's the reason why the Shadows are so difficult to attack! They're.. changing their properties, or something! What a terrifying power.. If Fuuka wasn't here, they'd surely be dead by now.

 _"It changed it's type again! Try using blunt attacks on it!"_

"Let me up your power! I've got enough strength in me!" Kotone cries, pulling the trigger. The iridescent glow of Urania descends, powering everyone's physical attack power. She hates using such an ability, it feels like her own strength is momentarily sapped out of her and given to others, but it's the only thing she's good at. If her role is to be there as support, then she'll damn well become the best support there ever is! "Hurry!"

Everyone was covered in wounds, and barely able to wound. But if they couldn't win this, then it was all over! That's why, that's why she'll have to lend her strength! She'll do as much as she can so everyone leaves Tartarus alive! They're all going to live to see another spring!

"Orpheus!" The silver streak sends a flying kick into the Empress, sending it flying into it's partner Shadow, knocking them both over. The dark haired boy then screams, his voice louder and higher than she's ever heard it. "We need to all attack while they're down! Perform an All Out Attack! Finish it in one more combined blow!"

 _"You only have a little more time! Finish it while you still can!"_

"Damn show off.. Alright! Let's all go for broke!" Junpei grins, and each one of them slowly rises from their spot, taking hold of their weapons. "Let's charge!"

They all run towards the pair of down Shadows; beaten and bruised but full of nothing but stupid pride. They punch, slash and send arrows flying, all trying to inflict as much damage as they can in the small amount of time they'd been given. Each hit feels more and more weak, but with every one they know that the Shadows can't hold on much longer. There's a loud groan, and the two explode into nothing but plumes of black.

Minato falls onto his back, heaving and panting. Every rise in his chest is proof that he's alive, that they'd won this battle. He laughs, softly. He's never felt this happy about winning a battle before, but now he's tasted the excitement and joy of winning. And he feels genuinely happy. They all get to go home, and discuss ways to combat the next month. They know the signs now. They have a warning. He's exhausted, but he grins as he stares at the empty and seemingly never ending ceiling of Tartarus.

They have a chance to win.

* * *

 _June 11th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Mitsuru and Akihiko spent the last few days checking up on Yamagishi and Moriyama up at the hospital, considering how the pair had passed out almost immediately after the battle had ended. They were all exhausted, but it had been Fuuka's first time summoning her Persona, and Moriyama wasn't even meant to experience the Dark Hour. They had gotten lucky that she wasn't devoured by Shadows.

She'd been so worried about the two girls, she had barely focused on her schoolwork over the past few days. She sighs, packing her books back up into her bag when she hears her phone go off. She quickly reaches for it in her skirt's pocket, pulling it out.

A text from Akihiko.

 _'Yamagishi is being released from the hospital. We'll talk to her this evening. Come to the Operations Room as soon as you get back.'_ What a polite text.. It doesn't suit her to the point, honest senpai. But that sort of gap's kind of cute, in a way. It's like when her brother texts. He always cuts things short and uses as much slang as he can, so he doesn't have to type too much.

It's not exactly like she has anything else to do today... She quickly finishes up her packing and begins to head back to the dormitory.

* * *

She makes her way up the staircase, stopping by her room in order to drop off her bag. She's probably a bit early, but she's always been the sort who's late to these sorts of things... She puts all her things away and leaves her room, continuing to descend up the last flight of stairs before finally making her way into the Operations Room.

Everyone was already waiting there, even her brother; no doubt having rid themselves of any plans they had for the rest of the day in order to be at this rather important meeting. Inside the room is also the Chairman, and by his side is Yamagishi Fuuka, who finally looks far less pale then she did when they'd all seen her last. The colour has returned to her face, and she looks far more like a rosy porcelain doll rather than the pale sickly girl they'd met in Tartarus.

"Well, everyone's here." The Chairman begins, giving a light smile as Kotone mumbles a 'sorry'. "You're Yamagishi Fuuka, right?"

"Y-Yes."

He chuckles. "Relax, there's no need to be nervous. Why don't you just take a seat with the others?"

"Oh, thank you.." She awkwardly sits next to Junpei and Yukari, who were both gesturing for her to join them. Once she sits down, the chairman begins to speak again.

"You all did an excellent job uncovering the truth. I also wanted to let you know... The three girls have all regained consciousness." With those words, everyone seems to exhale a breath of air they didn't even know they were holding. Ultimately, they were all glad the three victims had awoken from their Shadow-induced slumber.

"What a relief.."

"From what I understand, they each came to school around midnight and waited for the security guard to leave. They were attacked by Shadows near the gate, as the Dark Hour began.. However, the facts became twisted because of rumours concerning a ghost story."

Yukari huffs. "I knew right from the beginning it wasn't a ghost."

"It's.. all my fault." Fuuka twiddles her thumbs, a sad expression on her face.

"Are you kidding!? You were the victim!"

"But, I made so many people worry..."

"Don't think like that.. I should be the one apologising, Yamagishi-san.." She hides her face, embarrassed beyond belief. "I should've stepped in properly when they were going overboard. But you would tell me you were okay, so I didn't.."

"We could've lost that fight if you weren't there. You saved our lives. You should feel good about yourself." Mitsuru smiles. "You have a special power that you can use to help others."

"A special power...?"

"We call it 'Persona'. You could be a tremendous help to us. Will you lend us your strength?"

"Are you asking me to join you?"

"That's correct."

"Kirijo-senpai.."

"I think you'd make a good addition to the team, too." Akihiko pipes up, having been quiet most of the time.

"Sanada-senpai.."

Yukari hated it when it sounded like their new recruits were being forced.. "You know, we aren't trying to pressure you, so if you need some time to think about it.."

"I'll do it! I'll help you!"

How quick.. What a strong resolve this girl has.. In comparison, she feels so weak.. If only Fuuka had more confidence, she'd be truly incredible.

"We really appreciate this, Yamagishi." Kirijo-senpai has a genuinely warm face, the first Kotone thinks she's ever seen. "Welcome aboard."

* * *

im flora and i love to finish my chapters at weird spots

an all out attack was the best way to finish this fight tbh,,,  
im not here 2 focus on the fights im here to focus on the characters  
i cant write fights for shit tbh but for this story they're necessary

welcome to minato learns friendship and teamwork(tm)


	18. twelve (chapter 17)

_June 12th, 2009._  
 _Morning._

"Hey, did you hear?" One girl whispers rather loudly during homeroom. "Ekoda's in hot water."

"Really!? What did he do?" Her gossip-loving friend giggles excitedly.

"I don't know, but it must be serious... Ooh, sexual harassment, maybe?"

"Haha, _oh my god_ , I can totally see that!"

The door to 2-E opens, and in steps Yamagishi Fuuka, a shy expression on her face as the entire class begins to stare at her. Their eyes are full of curiosity, like hungry wolves they want to know everything about why she had suddenly reappeared after her disappearance. They were all gossip hungry, looking to find out everything and twist the truth like it's a wet towel, squeezing it for all it's worth.

"Um.. Good morning.." Her hands tighten around her bag, a slight shiver to her small frame. "..."

"Hey, look ... It's the ghost girl.."

"Quiet, she can hear you!" The two girls begin to cackle.

"Fuuka, are you in here?" Moriyama Natsuki walks in, her expression lighting up at the sight of Fuuka. "There you are! I heard you started living in the dorms."

"Y-Yeah.."

"You look so depressed... Let me know if you need someone to talk to." She smiles. "You could probably use a friend, huh?"

"Moriyama-san.."

"Oh, come on! Just call me Natsuki."

".. Thank you."

Kotone had prepared to step in if anything bad had happened, but the interactions between the two girls stopped her in her place. She gets this feeling that everything'll be fine between those two now. She smiles, and begins to pull all her things out of her bag. She doesn't need to worry too much about those two anymore.

* * *

 _June 16th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Her shoulders heave up and down as the pair of teenagers finally enter the gates of Naganaki Shrine, and she almost immediately crashes onto the staircase. She's definitely gotten better at being athletic, but trying to keep up with someone with as much stamina as Sanada-senpai was sort of.. insane. When she'd asked if he wanted to go home with her, she'd expected they'd get something to eat like they normally did, not that she would be joining him on his afternoon training session.

He too, pants heavily, his pale skin glistening with sweat. He sits down beside her, taking in deep breathes. "Alright.. let's take a quick break.."

She sighs with relief; she really didn't want to do any more running today. Every muscle in her body ached, and her lungs burned like a fire. The shrine is peacefully quiet, the only sound being their heavy breathes and the wind whistling in the leaves of trees. That breeze that was passing through was almost legendary, cooling off her sweaty body with every gale.

"The wind's starting to pick up... What a blessing, after such a workout." Akihiko laughs, stretching out his arms and rustling his clothes a little, trying to get the fabric to stop sticking to his skin. "It's nice to have someone train with you though, since I'm always training alone in the club room or in my bedroom at the dorm."

"I'll join you, if you'd like. I need to get better, anyway.. or else I'm going to fall behind real fast.." Kotone giggles, though there's a certain sadness behind it. "Oh! You don't need to actually agree, by the way.. Sorry, senpai.."

"Don't apologise. It'd be nice to have a running partner, but if you do train with me, we're going to do a lot more than just run every day." He grins, barely noticing the slight blush on her face forming from those words. Does he have no self awareness!? She would genuinely hit him if those sorts of words came out of someone like Junpei, but she just has this feeling like he didn't get the other meaning behind it. Wait- does that make her the weird one!?

"Still.. I should've changed into my workout gear... I didn't think I'd need to, since I presumed this would be a light run.." He pulls his shirt away from his skin again, and looks as though he's contemplating pulling off his vest. "I'm absolutely drenched in sweat.."

"Don't catch a cold, senpai. Please make sure you take a warm shower when we get back to the dorm."

"It's nothing, I'll be fine." He pauses for a moment, and there's a slight twitch to his nose. "Achoo!"

She gives him a certain look; the look your mother would give you when you'd tell her you didn't need a jacket only to later complain about being cold. Anyone in the dormitory getting sick would be a bad thing; her main job was giving as much support to the other members as she can, and the only ways she knew how when they weren't in battle was to spoil them with care and her worry-wart nature.

His cheeks turn a bright shade of red. "I'll be fine."

Kotone chuckles, watching the normally calm and older brother-like Sanada-senpai become embarrassed over someone worrying about him was so fun. Everyone at school always saw him as someone who was so handsome and cool, but seeing him being natural like this was definitely nicer than his somewhat colder attitude he had at the beginning of the year.

He stands up, walking towards the playground with a nostalgic look on his face. He stops by the horizontal bars, motioning with one arm for her to come and join him. She quickly stands up, lightly jogging over to the area.

"Want to try the horizontal bars before we return to the dorm?" Here is was again, how he treated her like she was so much younger than she actually was. She didn't actually mind it too much, playing around on a play park was always a lot of fun. "I bet you can't do a back hip circle."

She puffs up her cheeks. He's right, she can't do that. "Well.. I bet you can't either, senpai!"

He chuckles, and takes hold of the bars. "Oh, really? I'm actually quite good at it. I'll show you."

He lifts up, and hangs upside down on the bar for a moment, before swinging around backwards in a full circle, pulling himself on top of the bar to sit down once he's finished demonstrating. That really looked scary! There was no way she could do something like that!

"Everyone should be able to do this." Despite his words, there's a certain proud tone to his voice. "Can you at least sit up on the bars? Here, I'll help you up."

A gloved hand reaches out towards her, and she gingerly takes it, using her free hand to try and drag herself up the bars beside him. For just a moment, her body sits atop his, but she soon shakily moves across to sit down beside him. It's scary, she can't quite find her balance. Soon, she manages to find a way to balance herself, by gripping the bar by the sides of her body, hoping she doesn't fall off.

He smiles softly, a rather gentle look on his face. "This takes me back.. I used to do this sort of thing when I was a kid.."

Akihiko falls silent, and she turns her head to look at him. There's a certain look on his face, one that she can't quite discern. His grey eyes are narrowed slightly, a far off look in them as he watches the distance.

"I need to get stronger... If I don't.. I won't be able to save anything.." He mutters, but clearly it's not meant to be something spoken to her. She wants to say something badly, tell him that he's already so strong, but she knows that's not the right thing to do. He sighs, and quickly jumps off the bars.

"Here, jump down. I'll catch you." She squeaks with surprise, and squeezes her eyes shut. She's terrified of heights, but as she pushes herself off the bar, she never touches the ground. So, he wasn't lying when he said he'd catch her. His hands sit underneath her arms, and the thing that surprises her the most is that he can support her weight like this. "You need to eat more, Kotone. You're like a stick."

She giggles weakly, and he places her down on the ground.

"Come on, let's head back to the dorm. Make sure you take a warm bath, so you don't catch a cold."

"You too, senpai."

* * *

 _June 20th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Apparently the chairman was waiting for them at the dorm, so Yukari and Kotone had quickly left school instead of doing their normal after school activities. Neither or them knew where Junpei or Minato were, but no doubt they knew that something was going on this afternoon. They had made it to the dormitory quite quickly, stopping outside when they noticed Fuuka playing with a rather cute white dog.

"Koro-chan, give me your paw!" The dog woofs, and quickly places his paw atop the short girl's hand.

"Ooh, he did it! What a smart dog!" Yukari laughs, and the two girls race towards the steps, kneeling down by the cute little thing.

"Oh, hi." She smiles gently, and begins to speak to the dog. "Koro-chan, go say hi! You can do that, right?"

The dog barks again, walks over to the pair with a slight skip to his step and nuzzles against her leg. He's got such soft, pretty fur.. and big red eyes. Sort of like hers, in a way. What a sweetheart he is, and so smart! What breed is he, she wonders.. He looks like a Shiba Inu, but she's never seen one with such white fur and such vibrant eyes.. Is he an albino?

"His name's Koromaru. I've seen him sitting by the steps of the shrine." She leans down to give the dog a soft pat on the head, and Koromaru's tail wags back and forth repeatedly, and he barks lightly. He's a very friendly little guy, isn't he?

A passerby housewife suddenly speaks up, noticing the three girls all crowding around a dog. "Oh... This dog still goes on walks all by himself?"

"Huh? Whaddya mean?" The short haired brunette asks, her eyebrow raised.

"He used to belong to the priest at the Naganaki Shrine. Every afternoon, the two of them went this way for a walk."

"That explains it..." Fuuka murmurs.

"Well, until the priest passed away."

"He passed away?" Kotone pipes up, her eyes going from the dog to the rather gossipy woman. This poor dog probably knew they were talking about his owner too, and yet she had the gall to keep talking about it like it was nothing.. She knows too well what that feels like.

"Oh, you haven't heard the story? It was about six months ago... The priest was hit by a car while walking his dog. He didn't survive." The three girls cover their mouths in shock. "Ever since then, that dog sits patiently by the site of the accident. And he goes for a walk everyday, just like when his owner was still alive.."

She can't help but glare at the very talkative woman. She could never understand the need to gossip about people like this, especially after an accident like that... The woman curses under her breath, and quickly disappears as fast as she came, walking off in a hurry.

"Aww, you're such a loyal dog! Good boy!" Yukari ruffles the dog's fur around his neck and head, earning a gentle blink. Koromaru seemed to enjoy that.

"Huh..?" Their support purses her lips, a confused look on her face.

"What's up?" The red eyed girl asks.

"Oh, it's nothing.. sorry." It doesn't seem like nothing, but she doesn't press further. "Wait, isn't the Chairman coming today? Then, we should go get ready."

"Yeah." Yukari quickly waves goodbye. "See you, Koro-chan!"

The dog barks a goodbye back, and Kotone leans down to give him a scratch. "Bye bye. You can come back whenever, Koro-chan."

* * *

 _June 20th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The boys had entered last, having apparently just returned from Paulownia Mall. She was glad that Minato seemed to be bonding a lot better with Junpei then he had been earlier in the year, but it was clear there still needed to be work done between the two. For now, this was a good place to be. Ikutsuki stands up, a light smile on his face as he gestures for the two to sit down.

"I wanted to let you all know how my research was going. This concerns the Shadows that have been appearing during full moons." His normally jolly expression turns serious, and immediately they all know to pay attention. "I want you all to listen closely; it might be hard to follow. Shadows can be divided into twelve categories, according to their characteristics. This, we've known for a while. It's like their class or order. ... Now, I've classified the special Shadows we've seen so far, and... It's simply fascinating! Those four Shadows belonged to Categories **I** through **IV** , in order of their appearance! They may have looked different than the more common ones, but the same classification scheme still applies."

Junpei crosses his arms. "Is that something we're supposed to be excited about?"

"Oh, I get it... There's twelve in all.." Fuuka points out, earning a nod. "Eight we haven't seen yet.."

"That's exactly right, Yamagishi-kun! You're quite sharp."

"Oh, uh, okay... But, what are they after?" Iori scratches his chin, an eyebrow raised.

".. That's a good question, and that's what we haven't figured out yet: their motive. They don't kill their prey; they feed on their minds." Ikutsuki always talks with his hands, and it's hard to listen to him when he vibrantly gestures. "It can be considered predation, but is it really? Is there an underlying intent behind their behaviour? The purpose of the Shadows as a whole... that's what we need to consider."

"... This is interesting." Akihiko speaks up. "But, no matter what, we still have to beat the rest of 'em."

"I agree." Mitsuru sighs, brushing her long bangs away. "That's about all we can do at this point."

"Eight more, huh? Lucky us." Yukari huffs.

"According to the data, each one has been stronger than the last, so we better start training harder." Yamagishi fiddles with her skirt.

"We'll manage. We've got plenty of time." Their silvery haired senior reassures them.

"I wonder what happens once we defeat all twelve.." Kotone murmurs. "..Is that even possible?"

"We'll have to try." Minato looks ready to fall asleep, but there's a certain fire to his eyes. He's changed since the last battle, and everyone's begun to notice it. Whether it's a good change or a bad change has yet to reveal itself, but so far all she can see is positives. He's taking everything far more seriously, and has tried harder to become closer to everyone.

Takeba suddenly turns towards the seniors. "What about Tartarus? Why does it even exist...?"

There's complete silence, and a certain sorrowful look forms on Kirijo's face. Her eyes don't meet anyone else's, and all she does is grip at her short sleeves, an uncomfortable sound leaving her lips. She never answers, though. They'd said they didn't know anything, but Yukari constantly seemed to believe otherwise.  
Who was telling the truth?

There's still a long road ahead.

* * *

next chapter we're gonn get some 2nd year bondin  
because all these chapters are kotone centric  
adn the reason why is bc i love her  
and also i want this story to focus on how being in someone like minato's shadow would be,, fucked

shes a good girl i cant wait to get to the parts im excited for so  
rn we're just chuggin thru

enjoy


	19. july 7th (chapter 18)

i just realised that i had the wrong timestamps for the last few chapters,,  
they dont take place in may, they take place in june. sorry!  
i've been out of it these last few days

* * *

 _June 23rd, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"I'll have what he's having."

"Coming right up! One house special!"

A certain silver haired boy sits down beside a very shifty look man, giving his order to the server behind the counter. A grunt leaves the shadier of the two, his hands nearly snapping his chopsticks in two as he gives a rather angry glare at the newcomer.

"...How can you eat the same thing all the time, without getting sick of it?" Akihiko sighs.

"Shut up." There's a rather angry sounding click of Shinjiro's tongue. "You always eat that protein shit."

There's a huff, but it sounds more like a chuckle than anything that remotely resembled anger. Soon, his own bowl of ramen is placed down in front of him, with a quick warning about how hot the food is.

He quickly digs in, but the second he places the chopsticks in his mouth he hisses with surprise. "..Yow, he wasn't kidding."

The two eat in silence, nothing but the background noise of other people talking and the slurping of their noodles between the two of them. Soon however, the grey eyed man places his chopsticks down, and quietly begins to talk.

"..You still haven't made up your mind?"

"Is **_that_** what this is about?"

"We have five new members. Things have changed quite a bit since you left. We're a lot more aggressive now."

"I'm not interested."

"Think about it, Shinji. Don't let your power go to waste."

"My power ain't worth shit."

"Shinji!"

"I made up my mind a long time ago." He sighs. "I ain't goin' back."

"You have to let the past go. What's done is done. It's time you moved on."

Shinjiro snorts; an almost sarcastic tone to his voice. "You should talk."

"What?"

"Face it... You're no different than me."

He stands up, leaving the money for his food next to his bowl and quickly leaves the shop.

"Ah.. Hey! Shinji!"

* * *

 _June 25th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"You know, Kocchan, you eat a lot of food. I wonder how it all fits inside that thin body of yours."

He has a rather impressed tone, but his words piss her off a little. When she shoots him an upset look, he waves his hands defensively. "Not that I'm the one looking! But there's a lot of guys interested in you. They'd probably be shocked if they found out how much you eat."

"You got a problem with that!?" She huffs, quickly taking an angry sip out of her drink. She likes to eat, is all. Her body is so frail and weak, so she'd always thought that if she ate lots, she'd be able to become a bit stronger. It didn't work; but at least she liked food.

"N-No, ma'am! I've got no problem with it!" Junpei laughs weakly, a little terrified by her reaction. He probably shoulda seen it coming, though. "Besides, you're so small you'd probably wither away if you didn't eat lots!"

He grins toothily, and she smiles back. It seems like she has a habit of making the boys in SEES worry about her health, considering this is the second time she's heard something like this. She wouldn't be surprised if people harped her brother on about this sort of thing, too.. She and her brother had very similar figures; they were both small and thin, with rather weak looking arms. She's pretty sure she saw Sanada-senpai forcing more food onto his plate the other night, insisting that since ' _he was their leader, he had to bulk up a little_ '... She was glad everyone seemed to be so accepting of her brother since he'd made more conscious efforts to join in.

"I'll tell you what, let's get takoyaki on our way back to the dorm!"

"Okay! You're paying though, Iori-kun!"

* * *

 _July 3rd, 2009._  
 _After School._

Yukari had invited her to the mall after school for a shopping trip. She was almost surprised, her friend had been very absentminded and almost.. suspicious of their seniors recently, acting ridiculously out of character since the night that the chairman had shown up with his explanation. Every full moon a new Shadow would appear, and they only had a little under a week to prepare for the next attack. This time, the Shadows have been attacking couples. Everyone had been on edge since the night that the chairman showed up; her brother especially, with his position as the leader, but Yukari seemed almost.. strangely angry at the upperclassmen.

"Wanna look at the pharmacy?" Those words snap her out of it. "I ran out of my colour of lip gloss, but what do you think..?"

"Ah, sure. I wanted to find some lip gloss myself, anyway.."

Suddenly, a loud beeping intrudes the space between the two girls, and the one clad in pink pulls out a light coloured flip phone.

"Hang on, I've got a phone call." She looks down at the phone, her expression darkening considerably once she sees the name lighting up. She sighs, and answers the call. "...Hello. Yeah... What? ...So? ...Get to the point, okay?"

Whoever it is on the other side of the phone, it was clear that her friend wasn't on good terms with them.

"..Huh?" An angry tone fills her voice. "It's not funny! What!? How do you think that would make Dad feel!?"

Kotone's fingers curl around her skirt's hem. Oh, it's Takeba's mother. She knew there was a lot going on between those two, but.. She didn't think they had a relationship like this. Part of her is angry; she'll never be able to have stupid fights with her mother like this, or see her and Minato's graduation. But another part of her knows that she can't say anything, because she doesn't know anything. All family's have their own situations, after all.

There's silence, and Yukari sighs.

"Fine. Do whatever you want... Just don't call me again!" And she hangs up on the caller. "Sorry."

"..Are you alright?" She wants to put a hand on her friend's shoulder, but her hands shake and pull away.

"..Oh, yeah... I'm fine." She smiles, weakly. "Thanks for asking."

She seems to have calmed down a little, thankfully.

"You know who I was on the phone with, right..?"

"Your mom, right?"

"Yeah. She says she wants to get remarried." The girl leans back on her heels, looking at the mall's ceiling. "I don't really care if she wants to get married again, but I can't stand how she's been living... Running away from life, jumping from guy to guy... I don't think that's fair to my dad."

Yukari is obviously upset, her entire body quivering with rage. So, she leads the girl over to a chair, and the pair sit in silence until the other girl has finally calmed down. It takes a while, but she's not too surprised. Some need more time than others.

"Sorry, I'm okay now. Thanks." A determined expression twists her otherwise soft features. "I'll never be like her. I'll never be that weak.. Running away to forget your problems is the worst thing you can do. I've decided that I'm gonna live on my own. I'll show her that I can be happy that way."

It's clear how much Takeba has opened up to her, and she smiles softly. "Just remember, we're all here for you if you need us. Me, Minato.. Heck, even Iori-kun's there for you."

"Thank you. For some reason, I feel like I can tell you anything, Kotone.." She stands up, and loudly calls out. "That's it! I'm going on a shopping spree today! And you're coming with me, Kotone!"

The two laugh, and they spend nearly the entire afternoon purchasing things.

* * *

 _July 4th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"I wanted to make some of these..!" Fuuka excitedly opens up a cookbook, pointing at a page with a glimmer in her eyes. "Tadaa..! 'Sweet Fries'! Everyone loves them! I bought a lot of sweet potatoes for them, so even if we mess up a little, it won't be a problem! So, you can relax a little too, Kotone-chan."

She leans forward, quickly reading the pages of the book. "Let's do our best, Fuuka-chan!"

"Yep!" Fuuka seems very motivated today. After last week's mess up with the creation of 'dog food', she seemed determined to make food that was edible for humans this time.

The two quietly work along to the recipe. She quickly mixes some seasonings together into a bowl; salt, pepper and garlic powder in order to create the 'House Seasoning' for the fries. She also grabs the butter, and a large plate and knife.

"Ah, Fuuka-chan! Can you preheat the oven? The temperatures in the book!"

"Right!"

She spends quite a bit of time cutting up every single potato into thin and neatly cut slices, but otherwise all the preparation work went quite smoothly. At least until Fuuka suddenly speaks up, a confused tone to her voice.

".. 'One tablespoon of melted butter'... I didn't melt the butter yet, though... What do I do? There's no time now.." She purses her lips in thought, before snapping her fingers. "Oh! Butter is just hardened oil, right? I can probably substitute oil. Olive oil should do the trick..."

The shorter girl begins to toss the fries, and once she's done, she places them neatly down on top of the baking sheets. Quickly, she spreads the mixed spices over the top, a soft hum to her tone.

"Okay, the final step is to put this in the oven. I'll put yours in too, Kotone-chan." She kneels down in front of the stove, and begins to read out the temperatures. "Let's see... The temperature is one hundred and eighty degrees... and the setting for residual heat is..."

Much to Kotone's surprise, Fuuka begins to operate the oven with an extreme speed, one that even she can't achieve, and she's been cooking for a very long time now.

"Oh, gosh.. That's quite the speed you're working that thing, there.." The brunette laughs, but there's an impressed tone to her voice.

"Huh? Oh, um.. I'm pretty good with machines.. I like taking my time and reading through the instruction manuals for electronic devices, too.." She scratches her cheek, which are beginning to turn a bright shade of red. "D-Does that make me seem weird?"

"It's super impressive!"

"Huh? I-It's nothing, really.." She's now the shade of a tomato. "..But, I'm happy to hear that.. I thought it was embarrassing because it wasn't really girl-like.."

She giggles. "..I think this is the first time I've said something like that... But, to tell the truth... I knew you wouldn't judge me over that..."

The two chat while waiting for the sweet fries to finish baking, but the second the oven makes it's tell tale 'ding!', the two turn towards it in excitement to see the product of their work. Fuuka leans forward to open the oven, but flinches back at how hot the metal was.

"Hot hot.." Kotone hands over a pair of mitts. "Ah, I forgot we had those."

She slips them on, and pulls the trays out of the oven.

"Look, Kotone-chan. They look so beauti...ful?" The problem was... the potatoes lining the pan looked nothing like sweet fries.. Actually, they don't even look like food. She's especially confused by the texture of the teal haired girl's fries.. The smaller girl points at the somewhat normal looking ones sitting on the tray/ "Oh.. these ones look normal. They're the ones you made, Kotone-chan."

"..Th-Thank goodness!" Despite the happy words she was saying, her tone was very upset. "They look really delicious.."

"You can have them all, if you'd like."

"N-No, I'd feel bad if I did take them.. You went through all the trouble of making them.. Um.. I'll just take a few. Thanks for the food.." She seems a little depressed with the results of today's Cooking Club as well.. She places one of the fries in her mouth. "Oh. It's delicious.. Kotone-chan, yours are really delicious.."

She sighs. "I guess I'm no match for you.."

"That's not true." There's always next time, after all. Nobody's perfect in two tries.

"..Thanks." Fuuka smiles. "Oh, it's almost time for us to go home. Let's clean up and go back."

The two collect and pack away the sweet fries that had turned out good, and quickly head home together.

* * *

 _July 7th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

The group all watches as Fuuka summons her Persona inside of the Operations Room, in order to scanning the area for their next enemy.

"Any luck, Yamagishi?" Akihiko asks, his eyebrow raised with curiosity.

 _"..Just a moment.."_ Her voice is light, like dripping rain. _"...I found it! I sense a strong presence!"_

"Hey, we were right!" Junpei exclaims, seeming to be the most surprised that the hypothesis was correct.

"Or so it would seem." Ikutsuki seems rather proud of himself.

 _"It's located in Iwatodai... Inside a building on Shirakawa Boulevard."_

"Hmm, Shirakawa Boulevard.." The chairman's glasses light up. "They've been finding The Lost in pairs lately.. Now I understand why."

"In pairs.." Mitsuru huffs loudly, groaning once she realises what's going on. "Oh, I get it."

Yamagishi quickly dismisses Lucia, a curious look on her face. "Why, what's on Shirakawa Boulevard? I'm not familiar with that area.."

"I've heard about it, but.." Yukari clicks her tongue in disgust.

"It's where all of _**those**_ hotels are. That explains a lot!" The hat wearing junior snickers. "You've heard about them, right Fuuka? Where people go to... _y'know_.."

"Ugh, Iori-kun, stop it!"

"Junpei, you're making the girls uncomfortable." Minato sighs.

"You're disgusting, Junpei."

* * *

BOY IT BEGINS.. MY FAVOURITE MISSION  
anyway next chapters going to be the,, first fight  
and then we'll get up to my favourite part  
next chapter will be a minato chapter!


	20. seduction (chapter 19)

i was going to write the first fight but i accidentally defeated it in like.  
3 attacks thanks to mitsuru's crit triggering an all out attack..  
so. we're here for the fun part.

SO i was gonna do two parts for each protagonist but..  
instead im just gonna do the detailed stuff with kotone and the.. outcome comes down to minato

* * *

 _July 7th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

She's not sure where she is. Her head aches, and her vision is a little foggy still.  
The area around her looks to be a hotel room... But she doesn't remember why she's here.  
She doesn't think it matters.

Everything is hot. Slowly, she kicks off the loafers she wore at a speedy pace, her hands pulling off her white knee socks in a sort of fever. She's not sure why she's doing anything, but all she knows is that her body is boiling. Her breath is erratic, each heavy pant fogging up her mind more and more.  
She has something she's supposed to do..but it doesn't matter anymore.

Once she finally gets her clingy socks off, relishing in the softness of the sheets beneath her bare legs, she notices that constant pitter patter of drizzling water. The shower's on. At first she feels a little troubled; but something inside of her is just telling her to give in, to go with the flow. So she does, leaning backwards to lie down on the bed, hoping to calm her nervous wreck of a body.

It's still so **hot**.

She reaches for her fluffy red school ribbon, undoing it and throwing it off to the side in a haze. She then begins to pull the black jacket of her uniform, leaving her only in the skirt and thin white blouse. It's a little better, she doesn't feel like she's overheating from the outside now. But she's still boiling from the inside.

So, she slowly unbuttons her shirt, getting about half way down to her stomach before huffing out a sigh. Her skirt's clinging to her thighs.. So, she begins to unzip the skirt, only to stop before she pulls it off to the sound of the shower stopping.

...Someone's coming out.

The bathroom door opens slowly, and she meets eyes with Sanada-senpai. A white towel hugs at his hips, hiding only a small amount of skin from her gaze. His body glistens slightly with leftover water droplets, clinging to surprisingly well defined muscle. His lips purse when he finally takes notice of her; and his grey eyes graze over every inch of her exposed skin. She feels like she's being examined almost; and that voice in her head keeps egging her on to push forward.

But she has something to do, doesn't she? She doesn't have time for something like this.. Even with those pretty eyes examining her.

"Hey, it's your turn next.." With those surprisingly sultry words from her attractive **_partner_** , the two suddenly clutch at their heads, a feeling like her skull's being torn apart taking all control. Once that agonising pain ends, the feeling like she can't think straight suddenly disappears, and she remembers everything she should be doing. And her cheeks turn the colour of wine.

"Wh-What the hell!?" Akihiko too, clearly seems to have snapped out of it, a surprised gasp leaving his mouth. He looks around, taking clear shock when he notices that he's basically naked; but pauses briefly when he spots her. Half undressed and lying out on the bed like a damned idiot. "What's going on here!?"

She squeezes her eyes shut, pulling her shirt across her chest and desperately trying to hide any inch of her that normally would never be seen by anyone, a squeal leaving her lips. "P-Put your clothes on!"

"Y-Yeah, you're absolutely right!" He two is now blushing up to his ears, and immediately he rushes back into the bathroom. The second that door slammed shut, she immediately began to button her shirt back up, her hands barely able to put them in place out of sheer embarrassment.

Just how much did he see...?

* * *

He's not sure why he's in a shower right now. This isn't even the shower at the dormitory; there's no stall door, and there's too much room for this to be one of the many small showers that the male residents of the Iwatodai Dorm used. But it doesn't really matter now, does it?  
His rough, calloused hands run through his silvery hair, massaging out the soap suds left by the shampoo he'd used only a little bit earlier. Though he's a little confused as to why he's here, something keeps telling him that he shouldn't worry about it.

He quickly turns the handles for the heated and cold water, turning them off. He shouldn't take too long inside of the shower, right? It's out of habit; in the orphanage he grew up in, they couldn't afford to use so much water. Electricity and heating was expensive, after all. Besides.. wasn't someone else waiting to enter the shower? He needs to get out and dry off then.. there's a towel just over there, lucky him he's noticed with his head in such a haze.

He knows he's supposed to be doing something right now, but it doesn't matter at all.

Tying the towel around his waist, he takes notice of his appearance in the large mirror, slightly steamed up but still visible. Scars and bruises stain his skin, earned from several battles over the years. A lot of the particularly nastier looking scars are from Shadow fights. In particular was the one he often kept covered up, sitting on his temple. It was a stupid scar, earned during one of his very first fights against the monsters. Unlike all his others.. he couldn't cover that one up with clothing.  
He didn't mind the scars he earned; in a way, it was proof that he was getting stronger, but he hated those girls asking him in overly fake, high voices about what had happened. It was easier to just put a bandaid there and leave it be.

He puts the bandaid back on, and opens the door to the bathroom.

His eyes meet with Kotone; his eyes immediately taking notice of the surprising lack of clothes on her figure. It was strange, really.. normally he wouldn't think the somewhat **_dirty_** thoughts he'd been thinking at that sight, with pink lace peeking through the slit in her skirt and the opened shirt. That was Junpei's job, and himself and Minato would always be dragged along. Junpei had mentioned how he wanted to do something like picking up chicks with the duo, but they certainly hadn't had the time for something like that. But he certainly didn't want to be picking up that attribute of Junpei's, but there's that hazy filter over his mind that's just telling him to give in.

Besides.. the way her milky thighs were shown off more than normal, the slight part of her pink lips.. It's a pretty sight.

"Hey, it's your turn next.."

This really isn't like him, and there's been that little voice egging him on to 'give in' for a while now.. But he knows he's not supposed to, is he? Surely he has something to do, it's been bothering him like a bad itch. And with those thoughts, his head hurts like hell.

They're supposed to be defeating one of the large Shadows. They're at a hotel, at the moment.. That's why the shower was different. But why.. why is his junior half naked and lying on the bed in front of him? Her cheeks flush the brightest shade of red he's ever seen, and she squeals loudly, yelling at him to 'put his clothes on'. Oh god.. he'd actually stepped out of the bathroom in only a towel?!

 _Damn it, Akihiko, you're a giant idiot._ He really is, a huge dumb ass. God, he hopes that Mitsuru never hears about this. She'd probably skewer him on the end of her rapier if she ever found out about this **incident**.  
Nodding his head, and with his face turning red up to his ears, and quickly runs back into the bathroom, trying to find his uniform.

... He hopes Junpei or, _god forbid_ , Minato never hear of this.

* * *

"Ho- _ly_ shit!"

Minato's mind clears up as his arm slings around his taller team mate's neck, his face dangerously close to the other teenager. Any closer, and they probably would've accidentally kissed. Now, the blue haired teen personally didn't mind that, he saw most gestures of affection or intimacy as unwarranted, but it was very clear that Iori wanted anything but to snog with another guy.

The two part with the speed of lightning; with Junpei quickly making his way back into the bathroom with his entire body turning red out of embarrassment. He didn't even know that was possible, but it proved that the baseball loving Persona user was truly a gift to mankind, albeit not one most would enjoy.

It's sort of weird, though. Now that he thinks about it.

What was the Shadow's point here? Those words were... _'Give in to your desire'_ , but.. he didn't really.. desire anything. Especially not his friend half naked in front of him. If anything, that was more of an inconvenience to him, considering the fact that now Junpei was acting like a twelve year old girl. Seriously, how's he going to fight if he's trying to cover himself up like he had things to cover up?

 _"Come in, leader!"_ He's almost relieved to hear that sudden buzz and voice in his head; since it meant they could finally get back on track.

"I'm here."

 _"Oh, thank goodness! I can finally reach you!"_ Relief is evident in Fuuka's soft voice, and he can even hear the smile that must've been on her face. _"Is Iori-kun there with you?"_

"Y-Yeah, all clear Fuuka-chan!" There's a muffled cry coming from the goateed teenager, who must've been half way through getting changed.

 _"...Did something happen? Oh, never mind. I'm sorry I couldn't contact you sooner.. The Shadow was interfering with your thoughts... And everyone got separated."_ It must've hit her hard, for her first full on mission to end up with something like this occurring. _"I contacted Kirijo-senpai and Yukari-chan a little while ago, and recently managed to connect to Kotone-chan and Sanada-senpai. Everyone else's in the middle of holding off the Shadow, so please join up with them to finish it off!"_

"Alright. We'll be there soon. Keep providing the others with support, Yamagishi."

 _"Of course!"_

* * *

Large, red tentacles send Yukari flying off through a glass divider, sending her into a small bathtub inside of the large room that the new Shadow was currently situated in. Appearing almost like a feminine perfume bottle, this Shadow was clearly stronger than the previous one, who had almost seemed like a warm up in order to tire them out, and prepare them for the mental assault they had received only earlier.

"Takeba!"

"Yukari-san!"

The pink clad girl clicks her tongue in clear frustration, pulling her Evoker from it's holster on her upper thigh, and quickly pulls the trigger, calling her Persona's name. Io descends onto the glass like Shadow with a tornado of winds, knocking the red and pink monstrosity away from it's summoner with a quick ease. It crashes into another wall, smashing open a large gap between this rather fancy room and the skeezy hotel hallways.

"Good one, Takeba!"

"Take that!"

It's disgusting tentacles lash out at the group again, knocking Akihiko to the ground as the group attempts to dodge. The group all calls out to him in surprise, and Mitsuru quickly is on the attack, grabbing a whip that had been in the room (nobody wants to know why it's there) in order to hold back the tendrils so the other senior had enough time to get up and move away.

"Persona!" The normally iridescent glow of Kotone's Persona has almost entirely been taken over by the over the top hot pink lighting that decorate the room, but physical appearance didn't quite matter too much as the star dusted figure spirit uses it's large lyre and mapping rod as weapons, throwing the thin rod at the Shadow with a surprising force and ramming the instrument into the Shadow like a baseball bat, sending it flying.

The young man pulls himself back to his feet, hissing out words of anger at the Shadow, who immediately seemed to take quite a bit of offence to the surprise attack from the smaller girl. It's tiny face, situated where the spritz for perfume normally would be, glows with an ominous red, and a circle of stereotypical love hearts surrounds Mitsuru; who is clearly thrown back by the sudden attack.

"Kirijo-senpai!?"

The hearts pop with an audible sound, and for a few heavy and anxiety filled moments, the redhead stares at nothing but the ground. But once she looks up, the group feels as though they've stumbled into a horror movie. Her eyes were practically hollow, and a gross creepy blush forms on her face, along with the slasher smile. With an almost _childish_ giggle, the Kirijo Group's heiress lunges for the nearest person; Kotone.

Her rapier is a force to be reckoned with, skills honed by many years of fencing club practice and fights with Shadows like the one controlling her at the moment. In comparison, the shorter girl she had attacked was only three months into this lifestyle, with a naivety and slight clumsiness to all of her attacks. Facing human opponents wasn't something she had done before, especially not one who possessed the skill and brain like Kirijo Mitsuru.

The only thing she does have an advantage over, is her smaller body and speed. She's able to dodge the piercing blade with terror on her face, begging and hoping that the sharp weapon doesn't touch any single cloth or hair on her body, but somehow she doubts she'll get away that easy. With each thrust and slash, the second year has to block with the pole end of her naginata, and try and come up with a way to incapacitate their senior without using the blade of her weapon.

This has got to be one of the most horrifying moments of her life. With the expression on their normally mature and cool senior, and the way she attacked with little mercy, it's unlikely that she'll forget this incident any time soon.

She's only given relief when the door opens with a large bang, and Hermes and Orpheus make a grand entrance, with the latter dragging Kirijo away by the collar of her shirt, and their leader's Persona attacking the Shadow with a burst of fire. She practically collapses to the floor, all the terror finding it's way to her knees, but she quickly gets up once Minato yells at the top of his voice.

"Snap _**out**_ of it, Kirijo!"

The spell is broken, and the young woman shakes her head in clear confusion as to what was happening. The rest of the group is clearly surprised by the fact that seemed to work, but is clearly grateful that they don't have a team member attacking them. There's a brief silence; before there's a loud static slicing the air.

 _"It looks like this Persona is particularly talented in psychological attacks!"_ Fuuka's voice rings out, pointing out the obvious. _"That glow is the trigger! It'll stare down it's target, but if you move last minute, you should be able to avoid it!"_

That's useful advice, at least. Yukari pulls back the string of her bow, her face an unusual shade of red as she prepared to fire an arrow straight at where the Shadow's brain would be.

"This damn thing did that **_stuff_** to us!"

She fires, and manages to knock the red mask off of it's head. The Shadow screeches with an ungodly tone, it's mouth contorting into a horrifying doorway to what they all can only presume is the very gateway to hell itself, if Tartarus isn't that already. It's wing like appendages twist and turn, moving with rough and cursed movements like that of a contemporary dancer performing a soul filled piece.

This is their chance.

"I've been waiting for this!" Akihiko grins ear to ear, and the group all charge forward, weapons prepared for total war. Each slash, each pierce tears into the almost jelly like consistency of the Shadow, ripping open what they can only presume is it's flesh out of the bottle like cage. The monster screeches and moans with every hit, until finally it begins to stop it's ragged movements and explodes into plumes of red and black.

There's an audible sigh from almost every member of the group; who all seem to unanimously agree that this night had been, **by far** , the worst so far.

* * *

"...Did anything happen to anyone else?"

As the group begins their exit from the hotel Champ de Fleurs, their somewhat dense leader speaks up. The reaction his words elicit is almost unsurprising, as everyone hums uncomfortably at the thought of what had happened only moments earlier. For such a short period of time, the Dark Hour truly felt more like a day with how draining it is.

Mitsuru, shockingly, is the first to say something. "N-Nothing happened at all!"

Her hands cover her mouth, her eyes darting to the side with a clearly mortified expression, all she's been doing since they finished the fight had been avoiding the gaze of Yukari, who seemed a little on edge by this question as well.

Minato also takes note of how his sister walks rather far from Akihiko, almost hiding behind himself and Junpei, her cheeks almost matching her eyes in colour at his question. He's genuinely confused at first; but he soon realises that if he and Junpei had suffered something like that, the others must've gone through something as well.

...For some reason, he has the biggest urge to punch his senpai in the face.

But he's too tired to do anything like that for the moment.

The group doesn't even realise that they're being observed.

* * *

ENDIN THAT SHIT OFF THERE BC EVEN THO  
I TOOK SO FUCKING LONG WITH THIS CHAPTER IM A TIRED GIRL.  
this was waaaaaaaay too much fun tbh?  
at first i was gonna have the usual yukari/minato scene but  
i honestly thought it be stupider and funnier like this.  
i got a giggle out of the idea of junpei and minato being the ones in that room so?  
sue me.

i also had a lot of fun with akihiko's side,  
hes clearly someone who doesnt understand social cues and relationships very much  
(the japanese fandom explicitly calls him a DT, which is slang for 'doutei' or virgin)  
but under the shadow's influence, it's made abundantly clear that he's still a teenage boy with a libido.  
its hard to remember these characters are only teenagers when they have the weight of the word on their shoulders,  
which is why i hope to explore the more simpler, domestic side of their lives in this fic as well as the dark sides,  
simply because they do deserve a little splice of sunshine before i rip them to shreds.

anyway, i need to discuss a certain,,, review i got on this fic.  
the anon who gave that gross ass review on how much you wanted incest;  
get fucked you absolute fucking creep? i cannot believe you'd even suggest that shit  
when i read that review in my emails i honestly was so fucking disgusted i couldnt breath  
please dont come anywhere near my shit again? k thnx bye

rant over! i hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and i'm sorry for the long wait.  
the break's nearly over and i have a pile of work from term 1 of the school year i need to finish off.  
thank u!


	21. breaking point (chapter 20)

this chapter has the event that makes some people hate yukari in it?  
woops... i like yukari a lot but early game shes rather.. annoying until she redeems herself  
it was needed for the plot but  
anyway yikes! sorry for that otherwise enjoy this chapter

* * *

"Welcome to the Velvet Room."

Igor's rickety voice is the first thing to awaken him, and with a few blinks and a gaze around, he realises just where he is. So he's back here again. He's been coming and going from this place at a semi-frequent pace; usually for Personas, but often times due to one of the residents', Elizabeth, often making rather out there requests of him.

"More than three months have gone by since you started coming here. How is the state of your heart?" The woman in question smiles at him, almost all knowingly, like she knows what he's been thinking. "In any case, it is now summer. Rumour has it that summer is a mysterious season that releases people from their inhibitions. I hope you'll take this chance to unleash every desire you harbour, and enjoy your youth to the fullest."

Again, with the _**desire**_ nonsense. First the Shadow, now the pair of oddballs who have set up an office inside of a never ending elevator..

"However..." His attention snaps, as the silver haired woman's tone takes a notable darker turn.

"Please beware of the shadows that creep even closer."

Before he's able to ask what she means, an uncontrollable feeling to return to the depths of unconsciousness overwhelms him.

* * *

 _July 11th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

They were all told to join Ikutsuki on the fourth floor of the dormitory once they returned home, but it appears that so far, all they've been talking about is what had happened on the seventh, albeit with a few.. altercations so nobody becomes embarrassed to the point of starting a fight. Everything had become a little _strange_ after that night, Junpei was constantly on guard and was even more moody than normal, and Minato hadn't seen his sister and Akihiko talk even once, which apparently was very common between the two? He'd never been informed of this until Fuuka told him that occasionally the senior would drop by their classroom and ask Kotone if she wanted to get food after school.

Nobody knew all the details, though. And asking his sister about it got her angry.  
So, he'll have to go directly to the main criminal (in his, rather biased eyes, anyway).

"That's what happened on the night of the seventh." Kirijo sighs, crossing her arms with a huff. "It was a... difficult operation."

"I see. They're getting tougher..." The chairman pushes his glasses up, clearly distraught by the fact that each battle was getting harder and harder. "But, it's not all bad news... I called today's meeting because-"

Yukari stands up, pulling Yamagishi up with her. "I'm sorry. Before we go on, I'd like to ask Kirijo-senpai something."

"Me...?"

"Since I joined, so many things have happened... I went along with it, without really understanding what was going on... But now, I need to know." And the air thickens like honey, becoming so chokingly uncomfortable that everyone begins to shift in their seats. "I'm gonna ask you straight out... You've been hiding something from us, haven't you, senpai? You **act** like you don't know anything about the Dark Hour and Tartarus... but they're related to that accident ten years ago, aren't they?"

If the tension wasn't already high before those words, now it was like everyone was on ice, trying to not make it crumble underneath their combined weight. What had compelled Takeba to ask this now of all times? She really had zero tact. Sure, they all had their own questions, but they were willing to wait to hear the answers. Why did she have to go out and say it like this?

And just calling it ' _ **the accident ten years ago**_ ' sends chills down his spine. He's not daft, nor is he absolutely blind to anything around him. On that night; that fateful night that changed to course of his life forever, there was another accident that had occurred. Supposedly, anyway.

"...What accident?" Iori asks.

Fuuka shifts, snapping her arm out of Yukari's grasp. "Y-Yukari-chan..."

"There was an explosion near our school, and a lot of people died.. It must've been big news back then. You know about it, don't you?"

Mitsuru looks down, twiddling her thumbs, steeling her will.

"...Yes."

"Luckily, no students were injured. But... around the same time, a large number of students were recorded as absent." The brunette's voice begins to get more and more accusatory, to the point where this begins to sound more like a police interrogation, rather than one of their usual meetings. "..Seems like more than just a coincidence."

"What do you mean?"

"I dug up some old school records, and I found something _**interesting**_. The students who were absent... They all collapsed suddenly, and had to be hospitalised. Sound familiar? You know, like the girls who bullied Fuuka."

Their senpai does nothing but take the brunt of the attack, sighing softly at each word, each skeleton being dragged out of her closet.

"There has to be an explanation!" A loud slam, as the archer's hands hit the table in front of them all, earning a flinch from most members. "What really happened on the day of that accident? The Kirijo Group built our school, so you must know something! **_Tell me the truth_**!"

"...I wasn't trying to hide anything from you. It just never seemed relevant. But..." She turns her head away, finally breaking the eye contact with the harsh gaze of the second year girl.

Ikutsuki reaches over, giving a reassuring pat on the back to the redhead. "It's okay, it's not your fault."

It takes a few moments, but finally it seems like their senpai has become ready to tell them all what they (or, Yukari, rather..) wants to hear.

"..Alright. I'll tell you the whole story." She begins, and Minato gets this feeling that'll be a long one. "The Shadows have many mysterious abilities. Some research even indicates that they can even affect time and space. We think of them as our enemies, but what if we could somehow use them to our advantage? They'd be a source of unimaginable power, wouldn't they?"

"What..?"

Slowly, this sounds more and more like a villain's plot in a children's movie.

"Fourteen years ago, one man pursued that line of thinking... He was the former leader of the Kirijo group, Kirijo Kouetsu... My grandfather." She closes her eyes as though remembering something awful. "My grandfather was obsessed with the Shadows.. He wanted to harness their power for something extraordinary."

"Like what..?"

"He assembled a team of top scientists, and over several years, he put together an impressive amount of Shadows."

"He what!? Damn, that's freakin' crazy!"

"However... ten years ago, during the final stages of the experiment, he lost control of the Shadows' power. And in the process, the very nature of the world was altered." They all know what was coming up from this point.

"Oh my, do you mean...?"

"Yes. Tartarus and the Dark Hour." There's an audible huff from Yukari, and Mitsuru continues. "By their account, the mass of Shadows they collected split into several large ones that then dispersed. These are the Shadows we've been encountering on nights when the moon is full."

"Is that why they've appeared in different places?" Fuuka asks, her teal eyes wide with questions.

"Wait a minute... If what you've said is true, then why did our school turn into Tartarus?" She gasps, covering her mouth with her hands. "Don't tell me.. That's where they conducted the experiment!?"

"...Yes."

"Then.. the students who were hospitalised..."

"I'm afraid it's just as you're thinking." There's a certain amount of spite between her words. "Port Island must've been an ideal location for them. It was a highly-populated area, and the Kirijo Group had influence there. They could do as they pleased... As you guessed, the experiment ten years ago was conducted at Gekkoukan High School."

Takeba clenches her fists, biting down on her lip. "Does that mean... all we've been doing is cleaning up their mess!? You _lied_ to us?!"

She shoots a glare at Akihiko, who had been extremely silent throughout the entire thing.

"You knew too, didn't you, senpai!?" She cries, each word becoming coated with more and more anger. "They've just been using us! Or, do you _**not care**_ so long as you get to fight?!"

"I never said anything like that!" He yells, turning his gaze away. "I have my reasons..."

"Yukari-san, please!" Kotone speaks up, standing from her spot with a surprisingly hard expression. He's almost surprised that his sister defended their senior; but if they did talk a lot, then it made a bit of sense.

He's just sitting there and watching as their group is falling to pieces like snow.

"Think what you'd like... It was my decision to not share information." Kirijo bows her head, deep in apology. "I'm sorry. I never intended to deceive you. Convincing you to join SEES was my highest priority. As absurd as it may seem, only we- with our Personas- can fight the Shadows."

"How could you!?"

"Besides..." Sadness. That's all he can hear in the once confident and in control voice of Mitsuru. "Some of us were never given a choice. I.."

"Mitsuru... Don't."

The only damned adult, who probably was eating up this teenaged drama like it was a movie, suddenly speaks up. "Takeba-kun, it's those in the past who are to blame. And they lost their lives as a result of what they did.. We're all in the same boat, here; none of us deserve the burden that's been thrust upon us."

"But.."

"It's been ten years since that incident... No one knows why those Shadows suddenly returned." Ikutsuki speaks only the truth, and even Yukari in her fit of rage knows that. "But, since they're active, at least we can find and destroy them... Do you realise what this means?"

He stands from his recliner, and begins to address the entire group, all of whom are severely shaken, and with Mitsuru looking the most depressed they'd ever seen and Akihiko ready to genuinely beat someone up, Minato's surprised he's even able to command their attention.

"What if I told you that those twelve Shadows were the cause of everything?"

Sanada purses his lips, and quickly gets the idea. "If we defeated them all... Tartarus and the Dark Hour would disappear?"

"Exactly! That's what I was going to tell you earlier. See, it's good news, isn't it?"

"Is that true!?" Fuuka exclaims, clutching her skirt's hems tightly.

"There's evidence to support it. Now, our true battle begins."

"..I see." Takeba looks down, having calmed down, but now feeling the intense pressure of the room's tension she's partially responsible for creating.

"Regardless of what's happened in the past, we must fight to protect the people. The Shadows are gaining strength, we can't afford to just wait for them."

"Indeed."

"And there are still many mysteries surrounding Tartarus. Why did such a gigantic structure appear in the first place? The answer must lie within it." It seems like the current goal is to now find out why Tartarus exists, and to get stronger to defeat the remaining six.

* * *

 _July 12th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

In the back alley's behind Port Island Station, a particular silver haired man walks in to meet up with one Aragaki Shinjiro.

"Nothing to do as usual, huh?" He says, giving a slight wave as he finally approaches.

Immediately, the taller of the two groans, and looks ready to escape from the area at the sight of his 'acquaintance'. He clicks his tongue, rolling his eyes and scoffs.

"Why're you here? If you came to try and convince me, then forget it."

"...It's nothing like that. I just wanted to see how you were doing." Judging by Akihiko's way of talking, the heavily dressed man presumes he's speaking truth for once.

"Huh?"

"We've known each other for a long time... It's been almost fourteen years since we met at the orphanage." He looks off, a nostalgic smile on his face. "You, me, and Miki.. we'd run around here 'til the sun went down. Back then, it seemed like we had all the time in the world."

A slight laugh. "You haven't changed a bit. If you wanna get all sappy, go do it with your other friends."

"...What was that!?"

"It's rare for you to think of the past. Usually, you just charge ahead like a damn fool." He shrugs. "So obviously, there's something on your mind."

The red clad man sighs. He's right, of course. Shinjiro is always right, loathe he is to admit it. He's been thinking of the past a lot these days, though. He's beginning to wonder if it's the younger Arisato's fault. There was something about her that reminded him of Miki; it wasn't anything about her appearance, it was just all of their mannerisms were similar. Soft, gentle movements that managed to be bright and cheerful at the same time. A light smile and laugh, and even her interactions with her own older brother reminded him of Miki.  
They were just similar enough that it scared him a little. It made him uncomfortable, even, especially with the events that went down five days ago..

"I do reminisce sometimes... But, what's the point." He quickly changes the subject. "Anyway, we've finally figured out how to get rid of Tartarus and the Dark Hour."

A clear expression of surprise forms of Aragaki's face. "No shit?!"

"Yeah..." He takes a seat down on the concrete beside his foster brother. "To be honest, all I've been thinking about lately is getting stronger. But yesterday, someone made me question my reason for fighting..."

He refused to show that Takeba's words hit him.

"Your reason for fighting, huh.. That's different for every person. But, if you don't have a good one, you can always quit.." ..Like he did? "Like I did."

"..I'm not like you." He chuckles, a smile forming on his face. "Man, I can't believe I'm the one getting lectured here."

He stands back up, and with a quick wave of his hand, begins to leave.

"Well, see ya around."

Shinjiro snorts, leaning back on the pavement. "You haven't changed at all."

* * *

 _July 12th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"Sanada."

His hand rather unceremoniously knocks on his senior's door, and he leans back for a while, awaiting an answer. Well.. even if he doesn't get it, he'll barge in anyway. From what he's learnt, apparently these doors don't have locks on them. That's stupid, and a little dangerous, but it ultimately didn't matter in his mind. It wasn't like he had anything to hide in his room.

He doesn't get the chance to enter unwelcomed, as the door opens slightly, and a pair of grey eyes watch him for a moment, before opening the door fully.

"Oh, it's you, Arisato." The boxing champion was dressed lightly; a red shirt and a pair of simple jeans, though judging by the opened window he can see and the rattling of a fan, the summer heat is beginning to get to him. "What's wrong?"

"Could I talk to you."

There's confusion; but the taller quickly moves out of the way and lets the blue haired boy in his room.

"I don't have anywhere to sit, sorry."

This room... fits Sanada _way_ too much. Training gear, trophies.. It was a room that felt very personal, especially in comparison to his own rather dull and bland looking bedroom.

"It's fine." The door shuts behind the two, and Minato finds himself quietly sitting down on a chair nearby his senior's desk.

There's a silence between them, and it only now strikes the younger that this is the first time he's ever approached someone like this, especially about his sister. Whenever guys came too close to his sister, he was more of an 'actions speak louder' guy, who would normally glare hard enough for the poor guy's distant descendants to remember, but he really couldn't do that with someone like Akihiko.

After all, Akihiko wasn't some skinny middle schooler who got scared at any sign of confrontation. Akihiko was one of their front line members, older and much more confident, with fighting abilities to match. He wasn't someone who'd be frightened of a thin and frail teenager.

Minato sighs, and he feels a slight laugh bubble in his throat.

"You know, Sanada.. I really want to punch you." The silver haired teen gets into a more defensive position, but is never given the time to talk. "On the seventh. Everyone went through the same mind attack, right? Myself and Junpei, Takeba and Kirijo. Piecing two and two together, you and Kotone also must've suffered the attack together."

He leans back on the chair, staring at the roof. "So, I really want to punch you. But I can't. For starters, it'd probably hurt me more than it would hurt you. But also because Yamagishi told me you and Kotone would hang out sometimes, so I figured she'd get angry at me if I did it. But you guys haven't spoken a word to each other since that night. The closest thing you both have had to interaction was last night, when she got up to defend you."

He sighs. "So, as much as it pains me to say this, as an older brother, for the love of god.. Please go back to normal. After all... SEES can't function properly unless all of it's members have each other's backs. You two can't do that if you're so embarrassed over what happened."

Sanada prepares to speak, but the blue haired boy stands up from the chair and begins to walk towards the door. He prepares to open it up, but quickly turns his back to say one last thing.

"Seriously, though. If you do anything to her, make her upset or anything like that, I don't know what I'll do to you." He raises his voice a bit. "That goes for you two, Junpei! You damn eavesdropper."

The door swings open, and standing there is the accused, a horrified look on his face.

"Okay, listen, I didn't mean to eavesdrop. I was just, curious, y'know?" He defends, sweat dripping from his forehead the more he's watched with deep blue eyes. "Thought y'all we havin' a guy night without me."

The boxer stands up, and laughs lightly. "I wont do anything, Arisato. Promise. As for what Junpei says.. sounds like fun."

"Seriously!? Sweet! Let's see if we can use the TV downstairs!"

Junpei runs off like an excited child, leaving only the two standing there in the doorway.

"...I'll talk to her tomorrow. And I'll apologise." Akihiko nods his head. "Thanks. I think I needed to be snapped out of it. You're pretty good at that sorta thing."

Minato only smiles; having heard the words he wanted to hear.

* * *

more.. domestic bullshit at the end here..  
minato would break his fist trying to actually punch akihiko tho?  
sanada akihiko is the most terrifying man i've ever seen.  
i'd never step into a ring with him as my opponent, because i'd shit myself  
dude can literally smash open monsters with his damn fists

if it were a battle with the personas tho? minato would have an advantage with his wild card ability.  
lets hope the threat of being fuckin wrecked by the leader leaves a mark on both akihiko and junpei, lol

hope y'all enjoyed! dunno how much i'll write next chapter,  
depends on what happens over the game


	22. vacation (chapter 21)

i hurt my tailbone doing ab exercises at dancing the other day  
is what i get for not dancing for two weeks bc of holidays  
im only saying this bc my chair i sit at to write is made of wood  
and it hurts like a bitch to sit on

also LMAO that anon who reviewed  
turn on ur location i just wanna talk

* * *

 _July 12th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

 **"How long has it been since we first met?"** Minato watches the little boy quietly, has his small figure bounces around his room with curious eyes. **"Time passes so quickly."**

His deep blue gaze turns towards the tired man, a smile forming. After so many months, the little boy had introduced himself as 'Pharos', only a few days before the _Tanabata_ incident. That name made him curious, considering that 'Pharos' was another name for the Lighthouse of Alexandria. Whether or not that had significance, he has no idea. Knowing this kid, it probably does have quite a bit of meaning..

 **"So, how's life as a Persona-user?"**

"...I'm not used to it." He's not used to anything quite yet. The little boy who periodically showed up in his bedroom, the constant fighting, the leadership role... All he could do was make his greatest attempts at juggling it all, and handle it all himself. If he's the leader, he should be able to do things efficiently, by himself. "It's.. fulfilling, though."

The boy chuckles. **"Well, take it from me. You're doing your best. I came here because I remembered something else about the coming of the end..."**

Cryptic warnings about the end of the world had been a regular discussion between the two as well.. Pharos knew more than he let on, but seemed like he was insistent on revealing it all as he 'remembered' it. He can't pressure him into revealing things.

 **"It goes back to an occurrence that took place many years ago.. Ten years ago, if I remember correctly."** Why is everything connected to that year...? **"Hey, didn't your parents pass away about ten years ago? ...A Persona is like a mirror. Which means, a Persona-user can never escape from their true self."**

He wants to argue, but he doesn't. After all, it's the truth. The Orpheus of legend was a sorrowful man, singing songs of mourning for his deceased wife. He did anything to rescue her from the grasps of the Underworld, but failed to do so. In a way, that's very similar to his own story. He too, is a man of sorrow, desperate to rescue his sister from Tartarus.

 **"Regardless, I will stay with you... because we're friends."**

* * *

 _July 13th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Finals started tomorrow, and after that, it was going to be the summer break. Everyone was doing super hard to study for it; clubs weren't running, and nobody wanted to hang out, but for some reason, Sanada-senpai had insisted that he'd take her somewhere he knew had good food. Everything had been awkward in the dormitory after Saturday, all of it had piled on top of the problems risen by full moon mission.

Part of her was glad he invited her out, though. She had been so jumpy around him, uncharacteristically timid and shy. She couldn't help it though.. as much as she wanted to go back to normal, she couldn't shake the way he'd spoken to her on that night out of her head, and she couldn't even get rid of the image of his bare skin.. She hates thinking back on that night. He'd seen so much of her skin, so much of her that she kept hidden, she was just so embarrassed.

And her thoughts made her feel like she shouldn't be allowed to talk to him. After all, thinking of her senpai like that made her no better than the girls who would crowd him, right? All she wanted was to be his friend, not a comrade or a team mate, she didn't want to look at him like they did.

Though, when he said he knew a good place to eat, she wasn't expecting Umiushi's Beef Bowl place... Without even thinking, she pouts, her cheeks puffing up. She wanted food she's never had before...

"What's with that face?" He asks, a smile on his face. "The beef bowl here's honestly great. The servings are big, and they use a great sauce."

"I know, I know.. I was just hoping for somewhere different." She smiles, and gives a small thumbs up. "Umiushi's is great too!"

The pair are interrupted by some squealing girls, who quickly shove her out of the way and crowd around her senior. They're not in uniform, but it's not hard to tell that they're some girls from her brother's class. Judging by how they were dressed, they seemed to have skipped school. Violation of space, not taking better care for their educations.. Yikes.

"Oh my god! Sanada-senpai! What're you doing here!?" One girl asks, her hair pulled into a pair of high buns. Her voice is a high, grating noise, almost like nails on a chalkboard. Whether or not she's doing that to be cute, or whether she's unfortunate enough to have that be her natural voice, she's not really sure.

"Oh, I know!" The other exclaims, her most prominent feature is how much makeup she has caked onto her face. "You're here for beef bowls, right? It's like, so funny you're always eating here!"

His face contorts in confusion, an eyebrow quirked up. "What's so funny about that?"

"It means you're totally cool!"

All she can do is shrug when he turns towards her, a plea in his eyes for an explanation to what the girl's where going on about. Really, she didn't exactly get it either. She was able to get that these girls were after him, but the way they approached him was kind of insane.

"Look, could you please get out of the way? We can't get in."

The girls rudely ignore him, and continue their fawning over the poor guy.

"Hey, so you totally don't have a girlfriend, right?" One asks, while the other shoots a rather nasty glare at Kotone. "We're, like, looking for guys to be with right now!"

She feels a cold sweat crawl down her spine. Definitely, jealous teenage girls were much scarier than any monster she's ever fought against. Shadows weren't able to strategise, and their only way of doing any psychological damage was easily removed with a spell. Teenage girls were able to plot, and were good at getting what they wanted. She would know, after all.

"Could we just be let through?" Akihiko sighs, his patience wearing thin. "If you want to talk to me, find another time to do it."

He pushes through the two girls, and turns back once he realises he's not being followed.

"Come on."

The combined heat of the girls' glares makes her skin feel like it's burning off, but she forces a smile. "Let's go, senpai!"

"Yeah. I'm pretty hungry, after all." He acts normal, though there's a clear relief to his tone. With that, the two enter the shop, and the uncomfortable feeling like those girls were watching her disappear as she begins to dig into the gyudon they had ordered.

Once they finish, the two leave, and she looks around in surprise. The two girls weren't there anymore, and when she points that out, he too finally takes notice. He sighs, relaxing considerably now that he's not having his personal space invaded by chatty girls.

"Good thing. People like that are nothing but trouble. They would've kept us from our food." He huffs, crossing his arms. He's silent, for a moment, before snapping his fingers in realisation. "..Oh, I get it. Do you think they wanted beef bowls too?"

"...Not in the way you think."

Those words clearly confuse him, as he begins to wonder what they had wanted if it hadn't been food. It's in this moment that she truly realises the extent of how incapable he is of taking notice of female emotions, and she begins to feel a little sorry for those girls. Sure, they were a little annoying, but when with someone this dense.. She kind of gets why they were so forceful.

Jokingly, she leans forward with a curious smile on her face. "Hey, senpai? What's your type?"

"My type? You mean my favourite type of beef bowl?" He purses his lips, and searches his mind for his favourite sort. "Oh. You meant girls. What type of girls do I like..?"

He wryly smiles, a weak look in his eyes.

"I don't want to deal with this kind of thing." Akihiko sighs, and murmurs to himself. "I'm not strong enough to carry this entire burden."

She looks down. Had that been the wrong thing to say? She was playing around with him, curious as to what he'd actually say if asked by someone he knew, and not some random stranger wearing their uniform. That just simply wasn't what she was expecting.

"Oh... The type of girls I like is.." He pauses, and he turns red up to his ears. "Never mind.. I'd been told that whenever a girl asks that, the right answer is 'girls like you'... But I can't bring myself to say it! Damn that Junpei.."

It takes a moment for that to register, but once it does, a bell like laugh bubbles up from her throat. She can't believe that Sanada-senpai would actually say that! There was a certain naivety to be able to actually take that sort of advice from Iori-kun, but she was more expecting it from someone like her brother, not their 'cool' senior. It's so hilarious.

"It's not funny!"

* * *

 _July 13th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The awkward air certainly hasn't subdued at all. Despite the nice meal laid out on the table for them, the group sits there in silence, barely eating. It's uncomfortable, considering how **different** this atmosphere is. Everyone was always talking, and having fun around the table, but today.. they were all just sitting together, avoiding eye contact.

"What's wrong, everyone? Aren't you guys hungry?"

"N-Not really.." Yukari mumbles, pushing her food to one side.

Silence permeates in the room, and everyone shifts in their seats uncomfortably. There's nothing to discuss; or more like nobody wants to talk. Not after what had happened in the Operations Room.

Minato quietly shoves some of the meat on his place into his mouth, trying to distract himself from the delicate situation that they're all in. It feels as though that if someone said _**anything**_ wrong, it would push them all over the edge, into another fight. They've all clearly found it easier to sit in silence to avoid that.

"Um.." Fuuka is the first to finally break the quiet. "Y-You know, it's almost summer break. Do you have any plans?"

Junpei lights up, and finally it seems like there's a sufficient distraction. "I wish I could go to the beach. Hot sand, cool breeze... babes in bikinis... Man, it sure would be nice! Somewhere preferably in the south, where the water is crystal clear!"

He groans, as though he's just remembered something important.

"But first, we have exams to worry about.. Ugh, what a drag."

"Now, now. You'll be fine." She waves dismissively, trying to cheer him up. "But yeah, I'd love to go somewhere famous for its beautiful beaches, like Okinawa."

"Well, it's not Okinawa, but how about Yakushima?"

The group jumps with surprise, all turning their eyes towards the newcomer. Ikutsuki seems to have just walked in, having heard the conversation on summer holidays.

"Mr Chairman... I didn't realise you were here." Mitsuru speaks up, uttering her first words of the evening.

"I happened to be in the area, so I thought I'd drop by and tell you my schedule for the next week." He explains. "Kirijo-kun, your father will be vacationing in Yakushima during the break.

"He will..?" Her surprise is obvious.

"You'll all have some time off after exams, right? Why don't you go pay him a surprise visit?"

"Seriously!? We're going on a trip!?" Junpei stands from his seat, and practically jumps in the air with excitement. "Yes! Beach babes, here I come!"

Takeba sighs, and the other two junior girls chuckle lightly. Whether they wanted to admit it or not, the baseball lover had a way of lightening the mood.

"How about it, Kirijo-kun?"

She purses her lips. It's obvious she wants to go as well, but her way of thinking was making her object.

"But.. my father is a busy man. I don't want to ruin his vacation."

Ikutsuki laughs. "Don't worry.. No father would be upset with a daughter who came all that way to see him. You've all done a great job. You deserve to relax for a while."

It almost seemed like a dream, the idea of them finally getting some time off from all the fighting and the general rush of school life. They were ridiculously all ridiculously busy, with the fighting they shouldered and the inner turmoil that currently plagued the group. But this genuinely seemed like something that would help them all out.

"We already know when the next operation will be, so it should be fine."

"..I don't know.."

Kotone is already in vacation mode, as she jumps from her seat and gives Junpei the biggest high five, and the two excitedly begin to yell out. " **Yakushima!** "

He can't help but laugh.

"It'll be fine, Kirijo."

"Senpai! I'm beggin' ya!"

She sighs, but a smile forms on her face.

"Alright. I guess everyone needs a break now and then. Let's do it."

* * *

in between this chapter and the yakushima trip i'll be doin some more social link stuff  
which takes place over the exam period in game so.. have fun with some second year bonding

anyway so im naturally gonna.. approach some of the shit that reviewer said so!  
"akihiko wank fic"  
u right. in this house we love akihiko  
"everyone is flat"  
ya kno that most of the dialogue is from the movies/directly from the game right  
sorry that the early game disappointed u that much theres not much i can do this early on  
"terrible"  
LMAO i kno,.. im a shit writer i just needed to get this dumbass fic outta my head  
"stupid, gary stu shit"  
if ya gonna call it a gary stu fic at least give me constructive criticism mate,,  
all u sound like is a pretentious prick. i cant improve if all u do is be a cunt  
you clearly took the time to read the entire thing, yet all you had to say was something rude?  
at least help me improve asshole

anyway for the rest of u... i hope y'all enjoyed?  
sorry for rambling on about that it just pisses me off when someone leaves a shit review  
and doesnt tell me how to improve...  
i write bc i enjoy it. im not writing for anyone but myself.


	23. yakushima! (chapter 22)

answering an ask here since i cant write with it in my head  
kun is not used only for males! its also used by much older men towards much younger women,  
esp in a professional setting  
directly from the japanese honourifics wikipedia page  
' _Although kun is generally used for boys, it is not a hard rule._  
 _For example, kun can be used to name a close personal friend or family member of any gender._  
 _In business settings, young female employees are addressed as kun by older males of senior status._  
 _It can be used by male teachers addressing their female students._ '

sorry if this comes across as rude but thats how it is,,  
its also how ikutsuki refers to the female members of sees in the japanese vers.

* * *

 _July 18th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"Freedom at last! What should I do now!?" Junpei excitedly cries, stretching his arms out high over his head. Five non-stop days of exams have clearly taken it out of the poor guy. Everyone seemed a little tired, considering everything that had been happening over the past few days, but it clearly took the most out of the group's least book smart member.

"Don't worry, I'm sure you'll think of something." Fuuka smiles sweetly, giving a sympathetic look to her fellow junior. He'd done his best, even if his best was... less than satisfactory. He tried, and that was what mattered... Wasn't going to stop him from getting scolded, though.

"Hell yeah I will!" Not too far ahead of the group is one of their seniors, Akihiko. The taller teen of the five juniors takes notice, and calls for their senior. "Hey, what're you doing here, Sanada-san?"

"Ikutsuki-san called me. I think he wants to talk about a new candidate."

Yukari blinks, surprise obvious in her face. "Does that mean another person is going to join?"

"Maybe.."

"Ooh, is it gonna be another girl!?" His eyes light up, the prospect of adding another girl to the four beauties he surrounds himself with seems to excite him.

"Don't get your hopes up." Minato huffs.

"How should I know?"

The boy grumbles, mumbling something about the pair being 'no fun', only stopping as a girl's voice calls out for Yamagishi. The head of teal turns around, and her soft eyes light up immediately at who had called for her.

"Natsuki-chan! What's wrong?"

"Do you think you could stay after school with me for a mandatory study session? There's, like, no one-" The gyaru pauses, taking in the group of people that surrounded her friend. "Oh, you're going back to your 'home' home today, huh? Okay, then never mind."

"Hey, wait. It's alright. Let's go!" Fuuka turns toward the group, and gives an apologetic bow of the head. "Sorry, I'll see you all later back at the dorm."

The two girls quickly return to the school grounds together, their chatter audible until their backs became harder and harder to distinguish and their voices more and more muffled. It leaves the group stunned for a moment, just by how much their dynamic had altered since that night.

"I'm really surprised at how much she's changed.." Junpei mutters, earning a nod from the twins, presumably in agreement.

Several footsteps approach, and a familiar voice rings out across the air. "Ah, friendship.. How beautiful! Adolescence is such a wonderful thing! So full of vibrancy!"

"Mr. Chairman!"

"Oh, hello. I just stopped by to pick someone up. I might as well introduce you to him now." That's when the group notices a small boy standing rather quietly behind the older man, an orange jacket over the top of his elementary school uniform.

He's silent for a moment, analysing each member with wide eyes, before bowing polite. "Hello."

There's a hitch in Sanada's breath once the boy's deep eyes meet with his own; and his entire body tenses. He doesn't even relax when the boy breaks the gaze, moving on to look at the pair of girls.

"Oh, hi, Ken-kun. What's up?" Takeba gives a friendly wave, which is returned back.

"You know him..?"

"He doesn't leave during the break because of his... circumstances." Ikutsuki explains, turning his gaze towards the young child standing by his side.

"Oh, I heard about that.." She looks down. "Something about his parents..."

The boy begins to explain, with a matureness nobody was expecting for such a small thing. "It was only me and my mom, but she got in an accident, and she... she died. It happened two years ago."

"...Right now, one of his distant relatives is paying for his school expenses." The older gentleman shrugs. " **But** , staying at the elementary school dorm all by himself isn't proper for a child his age. _So_ , I decided to move him to your dorm for the summer."

"To _**our**_ dorm?! Do you really think that's a good idea!?"

He grins, ear to ear.

"Why, of course. He has the potential."

Akihiko visibly flinches, clenching his fists. "Then, he's the new candidate..?"

"Yes... But, as you can see, he's still just an elementary school student. So, it's merely a possibility for now."

He sighs, uncomfortable in every way possible, and it shows. They all were; after all, the idea of a child becoming apart of their fight, having to do what they do, and see what they see.. It doesn't sit right with anyone. But there was something else, some other reason why the senior was shifting around like he was on eggshells. But nobody could tell why; nobody wanted to ask.

Ken's eyes light up when he finally takes notice of exactly who the silver haired teen is, and his voice carries an unexpectedly childish excitement.

"Are you... Sanada-senpai?"

"...Um, yeah."

"I've heard a lot about you! You haven't lost a boxing match yet!" He politely bows, but there's a bounce to his feet and a bright smile on his face. "It's an honour to meet you!"

"Yeah, well... It's nice to meet you."

* * *

 _July 19th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

"Uuugh!"

With a loud groan, Yukari shoves yet another swimsuit back onto the chair sitting inside of their change room, where a messy pile of rejected clothes was sitting. The three girls had shown up rather early in the morning, hoping to get in and out before the vacation crowd set in, but they were getting rather unlucky with their finds. Or at least, something was pissing off the short haired brunette enough to skewer her vision.

"Nothing here suits me!" She huffs loudly, and turns her gaze towards the other two. "..Maybe I just don't want a new bathing suit.. What about you two?"

Fuuka scratches her neck, a blush on her face. "Well, I've never bought a swimsuit other than the school one.."

"What about you, Kotone?"

"Ah, um.." She laughs awkwardly, fiddling with the loose ends of her hair. She wants to wear a cute swimsuit, but she's afraid of showing off the large burn scars on her lower back. Sure, they weren't the disgusting, inflamed red that they had been all those years ago, but she was still rather shy about them.. "I'm.. not really sure what to get."

"You have such a nice figure, I don't see why you don't wear whatever you'd like."

"Well..." She's not sure whether or not to tell them. They're her friends; she trusts them enough to back her up in fights, and she knows plenty about them. And Yukari... Yukari knows everything about her. Not because she'd been directly told, but because she had to know. That made making this decision much harder than it should be. " It's just something stupid. I don't want anyone seeing it."

"No one'll care."

"I know, I know! I'm just... scared, is all." She laughs. "It's stupid, see? I can face off Shadows, but I'm afraid of people seeing a stupid scar.."

Fuuka and Yukari share a brief look.

"Look, if **_anyone_** ," The brunette narrows her eyes, and there's something that implies that she's speaking of a certain someone. "Says _**anything**_ , I'll drown him in the ocean."

"Yeah! Kotone-chan, I'm sure that they won't say anything. I promise."

Kotone feels the tears form in her eyes, and she quickly nods her head in order to conceal them. She's never had enough time at other schools to form bonds like this, ones that weren't fake. These two.. were real friends.

"Thanks, you guys!"

The archer lifts her arms high in the air, and nods, determination on her face.

"Alright, I've decided! I'm gonna find Fuuka and Kotone the cutest swimsuits in there is!"

* * *

 _July 19th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

"So, what're y'going to wear?"

In comparison to the girls, Junpei and Minato had decided to go simple, and went up to Paulownia Mall to find their clothes. Of course, they really weren't doing any shopping, they had been more or less just wandering around 'chatting'. Or, whatever the equivalent was with someone like Minato. Talking and listening, maybe?

"Mm.." He's just going to wear what he has. If he's being truthful, he only tagged along because he felt like Junpei wanted him to. "I have boxers at the dorm that I'll wear."

"That so? I asked Sanada-san what he was gonna wear, and if he knew what I should wear, but..." He groans. "He has no sense of style."

That.. actually doesn't surprise him.

"He doesn't have much sense in anything, Iori." That earns a snort of laughter. "It's true."

"You aren't wrong! But, I mean, he's **_so cool_** , but..." Junpei snickers. "He's surprisingly pure hearted, right?"

"Simpleminded, you're looking for the word simpleminded."

The taller bursts into laughter again, clenching his stomach tightly as he keels over, unable to control his giggling. It takes him a little to finally relax, as he takes a deep sigh and wipes imaginary tears from his eyes.

"That's so mean, Minato! You're probably just jealous that he's snatched up all of Kocchan's attention."

Now, **that**... may actually have some truth to it. Not that he was jealous, but that he rarely saw his sister these days. Ever since they'd returned to Iwatodai, Kotone had changed in small, but big ways. It was so subtle, subtle that he hadn't really noticed until now, but she wasn't so reliant on him anymore. In the past, she always clung onto him, scared of trusting anyone that wasn't him. But now... she was easily conversing with everyone else in the group; she'd become pretty good friends with one of their senpai, and was easily bonding with the other two girls from their year group.

He's grateful, but he feels... a little left behind.

"Not gonna deny it?"

He huffs, and a small smile forms on his face. "I don't mind. She's making friends, and that's good."

"Ah, so you don't mind me gettin' close?" Junpei snickers, and he's met with a rather scary look.

Eyes dead serious, but a smile on his face.

"Don't even try it in the way you're thinking."

* * *

 _July 20th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

The group had gotten off the ferry, and were now on their way inside of the Kirijo Estate on Yakushima. The house was... gianourmous. Calling it that didn't even sound right, it was more like a castle, or a mansion. It was absolutely beautiful, though. Beautiful decorating, beautiful architecture, and plenty of beautiful, elegant looking maids.

"We won't be here long, but I'll be relying on you during our stay." Mitsuru greets an older looking maid, who smiles with a politeness that must've been trained with years of experience.

"You have maids..?"

"And you must be her schoolmates, correct?" The maid bows, her head low. "Welcome to the Kirijo vacation home. Please, follow me."

"Is.. this the right place?"

"Dude, real life maids..."

The group all continues their awe shocked mumbling, looking around with wide eyes, taking in everything about this mansion they were currently in. Though it was clear just by her name that she was from an important family; this really did confirm it. Only when the maids begin to bow, and heavy footsteps begin to approach do they finally focus.

Standing before them is a tall, imposing man. His dark hair is greying, but his distinctly intimidating eye, the other hidden by an eyepatch, is familiar to all of them. He watches all of them, his impressive gaze wandering over each one of them. With out a doubt, this man must be related to Mitsuru. They had the same air of authority, and the same eyes.

He's silent, but once he meets eyes with Mitsuru, he nods quietly.

"It'd good to see you." She greets.

He leaves with that, and Fuuka murmurs about it in surprise.

"..Was that?"

Yukari finishes. "Her father?"

"Dude, talk about scary!" Junpei cringes. "He's not gonna make us walk the plank, is he?"

"Don't be rude, Iori-kun!" Kotone huffs.

"Don't be stupid.."

Mitsuru chuckles lightly, and smiles at the group. "We wont be here long, but make yourselves at home."

"Sweet! This is gonna rock!" The taller junior excitedly grabs at his leader's shoulders. "Hey, wanna go to the beach? It's right there! Dude, this place _rules_! Come on, let's go!"

Minato groans.

"What, already!?" The short haired brunette exclaims, but quickly sighs. "I mean, sure, but let us get changed first!"

"Then, I'll see you there!" His excitement is practically buzzing in the air, like electricity. "I'm not gonna waste a single minute!"

...They all need to get comfortable, first.

* * *

Kotone clings onto her wide brimmed hat with one hand, the other holding down the hem of the white beach cardigan she'd chosen to wear over her swimsuit, still just a little too embarrassed to show off any more skin. Eventually she will, but making the walk from the estate to the beach in just her bikini wasn't one of her plans.  
...It was a really cute bikini, though. Yukari had fantastic taste. Soft pastel pink, with sweet ribbon accents. Apparently it suited her to a T, but she personally thought it would look cuter on a girl like Fuuka; or even the girl who had picked it out herself.  
Gosh, she hopes she's bought enough things in her bag..

The surprisingly warm white sand crunches underneath her feet, and there's that distinct smell of salt in the air, and the sound of waves reaching her ears. She liked the beach, a lot, it was a relaxing place to be. She's always loved sunny places, but she wasn't expecting Yakushima to be this nice.  
...She'd just gone along with the excitement. It was better than joining in on the silence that the others had been going with.

Speaking of her partner in over the top joy, she spots Junpei excitedly chattering with her brother and Akihiko. They all seemed relaxed, even cheerful.

"Ahh, got my sandals on.. Givin' my feet a chance to breathe.." He grins. "Yep, summer's here!"

Even at this distance, it's not hard to tell that he's extremely happy about their situation.

"Ugh, could he **be** any louder?" Yukari walks up beside the other teen girl, a groan leaving her lips. "But yikes, what's with Sanada-senpai's swimsuit...? I can feel my face getting red just looking at it.."

Now that it's been mentioned, she can feel her face heating up as well. Why is he wearing a _speedo_!? It's like he has zero shame! It's hard to look right at him while he's dressed like that..

The two girls are quickly noticed, and called over. Begrudgingly, the two girls walk over, but look anywhere but at their senior.

"Yo, it's about time you guys got here." He quickly becomes confused when he notices the two girls actions. "Something wrong, you two?"

"That's a pretty... small.. swimsuit." Takeba mumbles. How uncomfortable she was pointing it out was clear on her face.

"What, you don't know?" He has a smile on his face. "Swimsuits like this reduce water resistance and-"

"Oh, that's okay.. It doesn't need to be justified." She turns her attention to the two junior boys. "Hey Junpei, what's the matter? You look even dumber than usual."

He begins to snicker, almost sinister in a way.

"Man, talk about a feast for the eyes. Yukaricchi's wearing a more aggressive model than I had imagined! Could her boldness come from the confidence that her club training as toned her bod!?"

"What!?"

"Kocchan, that's no good! You can't hide how much of a cute mermaid you are!" He whistles. "Those curves she usually keeps covered up are lookin' good! I can't tear my eyes away!"

"What's wrong with you!?" She squeals, trying to pull her cardigan over her body. As if on cue, Minato reaches over and slams his open palm over the taller boy's back, a large slapping sound and a red mark being his punishment for his perverted nature.

It doesn't seem to deter him, though.

"Maan, the beach is so great. I love this place!"

Another set of footsteps approach, and soon Fuuka approaches in a light blue bikini, a cute matching swim skirt around her waist.

"Is that umbrella taken?"

"Ooh, and here we have the lovely Yamagishi-san!" He takes a good glance at the short girl, his cheeks reddening. "...Wow, Fuuka, I had no idea you were so... I mean, you should wear a swimsuit more often!"

"Huh..? Oh!" She gasps, and her own face reddens considerably.

"Oh, come on, there's nothing to be embarrassed about!" He chuckles.

"Stop that creepy laugh, you perv!" Yukari growls.

"And here's our final contestant..."

Soon, Kirijo-senpai approaches, her beautiful figure adorned by a white bikini and a large flower. It suited her so well; she had such an incredible body. Mature and womanly, with such perfect looking... everything. They all quite literally couldn't help but stare.

"...Hm? Is something wrong?"

"Wow, Kirijo-senpai! You're so beautiful!" Fuuka exclaims, her eyes as wide as saucers.

"Yeah, your skin is flawless! Did you already put on sunscreen?"

At those compliments, Mitsuru's face begins to turn the colour of her hair. "N-No, not yet.."

"Ah, I bought plenty of things in my bag, so if you need anything at all!" Kotone calls, and fiddles with the beach bag by her side.

Junpei seems to find this the perfect time to call a 'guy meeting', as he grabs the only two other men by the shoulders and drags them into a circle, so the girls hopefully didn't hear a word that they said.

"Psst, Minato, Sanada-senpai. Level with me... Which one's your type?"

The two groan, and slowly, their blue haired leader manages to worm his way out of his team mate's death grip, his eyes following a particular crab that was crawling on the sands nearby. They watch as his attention is slowly stolen away by a crustacean instead of what was really important, the four angelic girls standing in bikinis nearby!

"...Looks like he's happy doing his own thing.." Iori sighs, but quickly cheers back up. "You haven't answered yet, Sanada-senpai!"

The two begin to whisper between each other, but they soon catch the girls' attention as the cap wearing boy loudly exclaims his surprise.

"Huh!? Really!?"

"K-Keep your voice down!"

"Man, really!? No joke?"

Yukari sighs, and places her hands on her hips. "What're you two smirking about?"

"Nothing!"

"...Okaay." Her attention is stolen back by the words 'sunscreen', as the three girls behind her were passing around a tube of the stuff and lathering it on.

Junpei grins, ear to ear with a childish exuberance. After everything they'd been through, they really did deserve this break.

"Man, this is great! I'm in heaven!" He excitedly runs towards the curling waves, his feet sinking into the wet sand by the ocean. "How 'bout a swim!? _Te re te tte_! Charge!"

Akihiko himself seems to be caught up in the atmosphere, as he laughs and chases after the other. "Whoa! I'm not letting you win that easily!"

The pair quickly make their way into about waist height water, and Junpei chatters about how cold the water is, but steps out momentarily to drag the girls into the water with him.

"Thank you, Kirijo-senpai! I can die in peace now!"

* * *

Though the sun was still high in the sky, and the other three juniors were currently playing in the water like children, Kotone had taken refuge from the beating sun underneath one of the parasols. Her skin was sensitive, and extremely pale, she really couldn't afford taking too much time in the direct sunlight. Didn't mean she didn't want to spend plenty of time underneath the rays, but she simply couldn't.

She's glad that someone had managed to find her brother and drag him into playing around in the water with them. Despite his usual, apathetic expression plastered on his face, there's a certain glimmer to his eyes as he drags Junpei back underneath the water as revenge. She'd get up and join in on the fun, if she wasn't so sleepy.. The sun was so nice..

Her eyes begin to close, when she hears the crunch of sand beneath someone's feet, and instinctively opens her eyes to spot who it is. It doesn't take herself long to relax, considering that it was just Sanada-senpai. Thank goodness, he's wearing a shirt over that ridiculous swimsuit.

"Everyone seems to be having fun... That's a good thing, I suppose." He smiles, and she nods her head in agreement. "Our operations during the Dark Hour put a lot of stress on us. You should relax a little, and rest up. Course, you're already in optimal conditions, there."

She giggles, and nods her head again, in clear agreement. "I might fall asleep here.. If I do, you'll keep me and my stuff safe, right?"

His skin turns wine red, right up to his ears and down his neck at those words. And all he can do is swallow his spit and agree to what she says.

"...Sure thing."

* * *

kotone.. is a dangerous girl...  
this chapter needed to be light  
bc i havent been feeling well recently + cramps from hell atm...  
which was why that last bit was a bit... fluffier than the other shit so far

anyway if anything looks funny in the last half of this chapter is because i switched what i was writing on:  
i went from writing on my desktop to my laptop so if the formatting when weird or some shit sorry;;  
im rlly tired atm n i just wanna sleep but i stayed up to finish this chap..

i hope u all liked it... i love the yakushima trip...  
im gonna spend the time before i sleep catching up to this part on my minato file


	24. static (chapter 23)

im literally so fucking tired,,,  
lol but in my minato file junpei got fuckin destroyed by death to save everyone else so,  
thanks for taking one for the team best buddy

* * *

 _July 20th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Everyone had been playing like children out on the beach until the sun went down, but Mitsuru had left rather abruptly, making her way back into her family's summer home. By the entrance, she meets eyes with a tall man; her father, Kirijo Takeharu. There's a brief, awkward silence, but soon they nod slowly, acknowledging each other.

"It's been a while." He stays silent, but she continues to speak, with a light smile on her face. "I'm glad you're in good health."

He crosses his arms, and sighs. "Our guests are residents of the dorm, I presume."

"I'm sorry for bringing such a crowd.." SEES had become a rowdy crowd with the addition of the new second years, all of whom added a certain charm to the group that hadn't been there when it had only been herself, Akihiko, and Aragaki. Whether she admitted it or not, they were good members of the team. And Arisato.. he did a fantastic job at leading; even if, in the beginning, they'd only given him the job due to an injury. His ability to switch Personas was a bonus that made their battles ... interesting.

"...I heard you told them about the incident." Takeharu frowns, clearly etching out the lines on his face. "Why did you hide it so long?"

"...I wasn't hiding it..." She fiddles around, diverting her eyes away.

"I've told you time and time again; none of the blame is yours."

"But..."

"..'Two in harmony surpasses one in perfection'. That has been our guiding principle since the Kirijo Group separated from the Nanjo Group." She remains silent, and he places a hand on her shoulder. "You must learn to trust in others, Mitsuru. There are things in this world that cannot be accomplished alone, no matter how many sacrifices you make."

She nods her head. "...Yes, Father."

"You accessed our database, didn't you?" She tenses; she had given Yamagishi access to the database when that huge fight had happened, in order to find out as much information about the incident as possible. But she didn't want to drag that girl into this, not into her business. "That's another thing... Why didn't you ask me directly, instead of using this trip as an excuse?"

"I'm... I'm sorry."

His face hardens, and he begins to walk towards the door. "Bring them here. All of them. I had no intention of concealing the truth from them. I've made preparations to disclose everything."

"...Everything?"

"There's a girl named Takeba in your group, right?" ..What does this have to do with Takeba? "For her to awaken to her power... It must be fate.."

"Father..?"

* * *

They'd all been told to meet down in the reception room, and they all began to make their way down; with differing emotions on their faces. It was sudden, and nobody was exactly ready to meet the current head of the Kirijo Group, but they really had no choice now. After all, they were guests in his home.

Minato takes note of how everyone is dressed; all casual, but a few seemed to have been ready to go to bed. Fuuka and his sister, Kotone, were dressed in light pyjamas, but the rest of the group sat in simple summer clothes. They both seemed a little embarrassed to have come down in their bed wear..

"From what I understand, Mitsuru as already given you the short version." He was a polite man, though it doesn't stop him from being a terrifying presence. It didn't help that they had plenty of influence, and could probably end him without little resistance.

"Oh, yes." Yukari nods quickly, and the man sighs.

"Well, it's true... We adults are to blame. If I could've atoned for it with my life, I would have done so.. Now, I have no choice but to rely on you." The group listens closely to his words, all soaking up the information as well as they could. "What my father wanted to create with those monsters' power... was a _**time manipulation machine**_."

"That's what he was trying to do?" Mitsuru asks. She didn't know this?

"Imagine if you could control the flow of time... eliminate unwanted events before they occur. With such a device, you could shape the future to your liking."

Junpei feels a chill up his spine. "Damn, that's insane..."

"However, under my father's direction, the research began to stray from its original goal. In his later years, my father seemed to have only nihilism in his heart... Now that I think about it, his madness may have resulted from his struggle to break free from that..." He closes his eye, a pained look on his face. "It's only natural that you want to know the truth... and it's my duty to tell you."

The light's go out, and some old looking footage begins to be played on the large monitor in the room.

"What's this...?" Akihiko leans forward on his seat, hands on his knees as he watches the screen.

"This is the only existing footage of the accident, recorded by a scientist who was at the scene."

"...A video recording?" Kirijo narrows her eyes.

The screen lights up, and between the static, the group can just make out the scene of the accident... The quality is poor, and it makes it hard to recognise the man who was on the screen. He looks rather injured already, and his clothes seem a little torn, but his face is impossible to make out.

 _"I pray that this recording reaches safe hands..."_

"That voice...!?"

 _"My employer has become obsessed with a **loathsome** idea. This experiment should have never even been conceived... I'm afraid what I've done will result in unprecedented disaster.."_ He sounds absolute devastated, but Minato can't shake what Yukari had said out of his head. _"But if I hadn't, the entire world may have paid the price..."_

"The entire world?" Fuuka murmurs, her eyes wide with shock.

 _"Please, listen carefully... The Shadows that were amassed here have been dispersed as a result of the explosion. To end this nightmare, you must eliminate all of them!"_ The scientist's head looks down, and his hands tighten. _"I am to blame for this. I knew the risks, but I was blinded by the promise of success... And so, I didn't raise any objections."_

His face becomes just a little more clear, and the tears forming in his eyes are noticeable.

 _"It is all my fault.."_

The pink clad girl gasps loudly, but there's soon another large explosion sounding from the video, and it cuts out. Immediately she stands up, her eyes wide and her entire body shivering.

"...Dad...!?"

"You mean... that was.." Yamagishi looks at her with sad eyes.

"Father.." Mitsuru shifts in her seat.

"His name was Takeba Eiichiro... He was the head researcher at the time, and a very talented man. But we are the ones responsible. We pushed him to continue the research. The Kirijo Group is to blame for his death."

The entire group is shaken from the video, but nobody seems more disturbed than Mitsuru and Yukari.

"I... I can't believe it..." She murmurs, her eyes low.

"So, that means.. my dad caused it all...?" Takeba is broken; her voice quivering with threats of sobs. "The Dark Hour, Tartarus... The people who died in that incident... It was all his fault?"

Sanada leans towards her, trying to give a reassuring pat on the shoulder, concern in his voice. "Y-You okay?"

She slaps his hand away.

"So that's why you were hiding this..?" Her voice raises, and instead of tears, her face burns with rage. "Because you felt sorry for me!? Is that it!?"

This hits the redhead, _hard_ , who displays clear signs of distress at the words leaving her junior's mouth. They were like knives, each one stabbing her deeper and deeper.

"No, Takeba, I.."

"I don't want your pity!"

She turns around, and runs straight out of the room, and presumably, out of the summer house. Her feelings had burned over, had hit the breaking point with the showing of this video. And the look on Mitsuru's face hurt everyone in the room. Guilt, and so much stress.

"Takeba!"

"Um... shouldn't someone go after her?" The teal haired girl asks, her watchful eyes had looked on until the brunette was long gone.

Mitsuru sighs, and turns towards Minato. "Arisato... Please go after her.."

He stays silent for just a moment, and let's several questions run through his mind. ' _Shouldn't you go?_ ', and ' _Shouldn't we leave her?_ '. Teenage girls like Takeba were controlled by their emotions, and he never was a fan of getting hit and slapped so someone could take out their anger.  
...It's happened before.  
But the look on his senpai's face, how broken and tired she is, it makes him reconsider each one of his complaints. She looks like she wants to go, but there's something holding her back at this point. He prepares to say something, when Kotone speaks up.

"Senpai... shouldn't you go?"

Her hands shake. "You're right, I should... But I doubt she'd listen to anything I'd say at this point. Please.. Go check on her.."

"I understand."

He stands from his seat, and follows where Fuuka points; taking it as an indication to the direction that Yukari had ran off to.

* * *

"I believed in him for so long..." Yukari clenches her fists, and takes in the senses around her. Wet sand beneath her feet, the water hitting her ankles, the chilling breeze against her bare shoulders.. She realises that she'd ran out on everyone, and feels a little bad about it. "This is too much.."

She reaches up to cover her arms, the air is just a little too chilly despite the seasons, but flinches as there's a soft crunch coming from behind her. Footsteps, approaching her fast. It's the middle of the night, and she's a teenage girl.. She turns, preparing to face some creepy old guy, but is surprised to only see Arisato-kun.

He's out of breath, his normally pale face bright red, and his thin body heaving with each pant.  
...Had he ran around looking for her?

"Arisato-kun.." He meets eyes with her, and nods. "Remember what I told you at the hospital? How my dad died when I was little?"

He nods, again, and even though she feels like she doesn't need to tell him for him to get it, she does anyway.

"You understand now, right? He died in that incident. Nobody knew the truth, so there were all sorts of rumours.." She turns towards the tumbling waves in the distance, and sighs. "Because he was in charge of the research team, people were really mean to me and my mom... We even had to move a few times."

He purses his lips, tightly, and places his hands back in his pockets.

"That must've been tough."

"It really was... And all this time, I kept telling myself it wasn't his fault. I loved him a lot, and I believed that he'd never do anything wrong." Her voice wavers in the silent air, it's warm qualities all but disappearing. "I received a letter back in the spring. It was from him, written ten years ago.. It cracked me up 'cause, even though it said 'To my family', it was pretty much all about me. That only made me believe in him more..."

Minato nods again, and this is the only time she's ever been grateful for his silent nature.

"When I found out I had a special power, I thought it was fate." She smiles, weakly. "I was scared, but I thought that if I cooperated with the Kirijo Group, I might find out what really happened. That's why I agreed to fight using my Persona. But, it turns out... all of that was for nothing.."

She turns towards him, and she can see him racking through his brain for a correct answer. He wasn't a people person, three months of knowing him had taught her that well. He relied on his twin sister for most social interactions, relying on her sweet and welcoming nature. He didn't need to interact with others, because his sister was always there for him. She was so envious of that, of their closeness. As an only child, she would never get that sort of bond. And that didn't even get her started on her only living relative, her mother.. That relationship was strained, on it's last threads.

He finally opens his mouth, and begins to speak.

"Takeba, it mightn't have meant anything to you, but it meant something to me." He walks forward, kicking off his shoes, and stands at the water's edge with her. "Being with you and the others, I never get bored. I don't think it's a bad thing. This sort of thing... It can be fun.. If that's what you call it."

She raises an eyebrow. "What's with that.. 'What you call it'.."

Her voice contains a clutch of laughter.

"How ridiculous.. but.. being with the others, huh..." If she hadn't witnessed those words leave his lips directly, she'd never believe he'd ever said it. He'd never, ever shown any sign of enjoying their presences, if anything, he always seemed disgruntled around them all. Kotone had insisted and insisted that he cared for them, but she'd never truly believed it until now.

She laughs, tears in her eyes.

"Why does reality have to be so harsh? I tried so hard to fight my fear, and this is what I get.. Maybe I'm just jealous of Kirijo-senpai.." Her tone darkens a little. "I mean, why my father and not hers..? Haha.. I'm a horrible person, aren't I?"

"That's not true."

She clicks her tongue. This side of him, she hated. He was Mr. Perfect, always on everyone's good sides, getting good grades, having good relationships.. He acted like he knew everything.

"Stop acting like you have all the answers!" She flinches. She had only thought it, but didn't want to say it out loud. "...I'm sorry.. My head's a mess.. I'm so afraid.. I don't know what to do anymore.. I'm totally lost.."

She looks up at him, doe like eyes glossy with tears.

"Tell me... What should I do?"

His words are blunt and he simply answers. "Believe in your dad."

"You mean... keep believing?"

"To end this nightmare.. we have to defeat them all, right? That's what he wanted." He looks at his feet. "So, keep believing."

"Right... okay. I'll do just that.. I'm sorry for acting like this.. You've lost your parents, too." Yukari takes a deep breath. "But, I'm alright now. I'm used to dealing with stressful situations... Thanks, Arisato-kun."

Her eyes are red from tears, but she smiles through it. And he smiles back, his lips curving up so slightly she'd barely notice it if she weren't looking, and gives her a pat on the shoulder.

"Hey!"

Two pairs of feet run towards the two, following a loud and familiar voice calling out to them. The two turn, and meet eyes with Junpei and Kotone, both panting heavily as they race to meet the other two teenagers.  
..Yukari notices that the whites of Kotone's own eyes were as red as her iris'.

"Sheesh.. what's taking you so long?! Everybody's waiting.." Junpei pants between each word, and clutches his chest tightly. "It's almost.. the Dark Hour, so we should head back."

"It'll be.. dangerous after this!" The long haired girl chimes in, her voice is hoarse, like she's been crying herself.

"I-I almost forgot... It doesn't matter where you are when the Dark Hour comes.."

"Sheesh, it's just common sense! Even I remembered." Junpei smiles, crossing his arms as he speaks.

"You know, I've been thinking lately.." The three other's all look at her, confusion on their faces. "Once you awaken to the power of Persona, you remember everything that happens in the Dark Hour.. It's like trading away your innocence.. In exchange for power, you can no longer look away from the things you don't want to see."

She's silent for just a moment, before smiling.

"So, I guess I'm stuck with you guys, huh?"

"Yup."

"You sure are, Yukari-san."

Junpei throws his arms around Minato's shoulder, who leaned down to pick up his shoes for just a moment.

"Now that that's settled, let's head back!"

* * *

Before they'd gone to find her brother and Yukari-san, they'd stayed inside of the summer home in mostly silence. The reception room was cold, with silence hanging in the air. It seemed to be a theme with this group; after a revelation, nobody seemed to know what to say. Or, maybe it was just whenever Takeba had an outburst.

Kirijo-san; the current head of the group, not her senpai, looks at his hands, clenched tightly in silence, before he huffs. He then turns his gaze towards her, eyes filled with an emotion she can only describe as 'guilt'.

"Also... you and the boy from before, your last name is 'Arisato', correct?" She nods, slowly, and begins to dread his next few words. "I'm deeply sorry for what had happened to your family on that night ten years ago, as well. That too, must've been the Kirijo Group's fault."

Confusion wells up in her, and several questions run through her mind. What does he mean, it's their fault as well? She had always vaguely known that what had happened wasn't just a car crash, but she never truly knew what it was. She only remembered that creature from April, and the burn of smoke high in the air.

"What.. does that mean?"

"That accident occurred on the same night as the explosion. It's.. most likely that the Dark Hour had something to do with that accident." She breathes in deeply. That.. he's not wrong. The moon's green glow had lit up that monster when she caught a glimpse of it. That night had been her first experience with the Dark Hour, but it had also been the beginning of it. "You children should have never been involved.. And for that, I can only apologise."

"I-I don't mind! We're.. we're doing good things, after all..." Her body shakes. "And. it wasn't.. it wasn't anyone's fault.. It couldn't have been prevented.."

"It could have. But our, the Kirijo Group, recklessness caused it to happen. It was entirely our fault." He bows his head in apology. "At the time, all we could do was pay for the expenses that their deaths left you with. We couldn't do much else, and for that too, I'm sorry."

Eh? That.. that was them? The one who had anonymously donated all that money for the funeral.. the ones who paid for their medical expenses after the accident... that was the Kirijo Group? Her arms tighten around her knees, pressing them tight to his chest. She can't believe it, but it was the only explanation. Grandma had insisted that the criminal behind the accident had donated that money, but nobody had ever believed her. She'd sworn on her dying breath that it was true, and here it was, being confirmed right before her own eyes.

She can't help but tear up a little.

"That.. That was you all?" She whispers, her voice small and shivering. "I.. I.. can't.."

It's like ten years of gratefulness hits her all at once, like a tsunami, and she begins to weep. She's so grateful, so happy that they had done that for their family. Her parents got a nice funeral, one they could've never gotten with the money their family had, and they still were able to afford the treatment for their injuries.. She's so, so grateful.

"Thank you.. Thank you so much.."

She liked to think of herself as a silent crier, but in this moment, she can't hold anything in. Her sobbing is heavy, and her head bows low in thanks. She can't say a single thing between her tears, which stain her rosy cheeks wet, and dampen the fabric of her clothing.

"Thank you, Kirijo-san.. Kirijo-senpai.. Thank you."

She feels two hands on her back, one larger and one much smaller, and looks up. Giving her gentle, comforting pats on the back, are Sanada-senpai and Fuuka-chan. She smiles at the two, but soon hides her face behind her hands and sleeves. She's a mess, a sniffling, sobbing mess. And it's so embarrassing for these people, her friends, her comrades, to see her like this.

"..Don't look at me.. I'm sorry for crying like that."

"You needed to let it out, Kotone-chan." Fuuka smiles, and brings her in for a small hug. "Yukari-chan, too... You both heard some thing heavy.. I hope Arisato-kun is doing a good job at comforting her..."

Junpei stands up, stretching his arms. "Should I go check?"

"I'll come with you.." Kotone breaks free of the smaller girl's arms, standing up shakily. She's supported with a light hand from Akihiko, which she gives him a sweet smile in thanks for. "He's a bit dense, but he shouldn't say anything too bad.. But it still worries me.."

She's sure he'd like to know about this, too..

* * *

WUAUAAH

i want to hashtag die..  
im love u yukari but please. stop.  
also ! omg i hope you dont think im being offensive!  
thats not my intention, haha.. i just wanted to explain it, is all.  
thank you for being such a loyal reviewer, tho! it does keep me writing!

i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter, too! it was pretty depressing, lol..  
my children, need therapy..


	25. operation babe hunt (chapter 24)

OK!  
real quick for operation babe hunt i mashed up  
both how the male vers and the female vers went down  
so i hope i executed it okay  
in this chapter the boys clean a beach of all its women by talking to them

* * *

 _July 21st, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

The girls had decided to go for a small hike, to see a cryptomeria tree that was considered a world heritage site. Though they had asked the boys to come along, Junpei had gone on and on about how ridiculous it was for them to go for a hike while they were beachside, and insisted that the three 'men' would stay back at the beach and have more fun. None of them wanted to be at the beach from dawn to dusk again like they were the day before, so ultimately they just decided to go alone. And besides, they were having plenty of fun without the boys!

"Ah, the air is so fresh..." Fuuka takes a deep breath in, a smile bright on her face. "I never thought a walk in the woods could be so enjoyable. You can't do this in Iwatodai."

Mitsuru and Yukari don't respond, leaving an awkward silence hanging in the air. Clearly, the tension between the two wasn't resolved in it's entirety last night; even though Their leader had done his best to take care of the burning rage that Yukari had last night, but there was nothing he could do to get the two to try talking to each other about it.. They just needed time.

"Oh, so listen to this... Junpei was acting like such a pervert yesterday, and I didn't know how to react.." She sighs. "It's probably a good thing we came out here by ourselves.."

"Huh?" Takeba is the first to snap out of her trance, looking around for a moment before realising she was being talked to. "Oh, yeah."

The teal haired girl meets concerned carmine eyes, eyes full of emotion that just tell her to just give up at the moment. She's trying her best; and she's doing as much as she can, but these two weren't going to do anything but sit there in their own thoughts, and there wasn't anything that either of them could do about that. All they could do was continue to smile and pretend like everything was okay with how things were going.

They continue to walk up the path, in pure silence until the loud ping of a ringtone breaks through, causing them all to look around at each other; wondering whose phone was going off. Rather quickly, Mitsuru pulls out a deep magenta coloured flip-phone, answering their questions as she puts it up to her ear.

"Mitsuru speaking.." She pauses, listening for only a moment. "...One moment, let me switch over to speakerphone."

She pulls the phone away, and presses a button on the keypad, and holds it out for the girls to listen into.

"Please continue."

To the group's surprise, it wasn't the boys on the other side. Rather, it was their chairman, Ikutsuki Shuji.

"Well, I'm at the lab here on the island..." A lab? That existed on this lovely vacation spot? It felt almost unreal to think about. "And a machine that was considered inoperable suddenly left the facility on its own.."

Yukari is the first to speak her surprise. "A machine..?"

"What kind of machine is it? I need detailed information to locate anything other than Shadows.."

"It's a combat vehicle- an anti-Shadow weapon, to be precise."

"A combat vehicle!?" What the heck?! Why does a lab run by the Kirijo Group have a- never mind, she doesn't want to know.

"You mean like a tank!?" The pink clad girl splutters in disbelief. "We gotta let the others know! Where's my cell..."

The three girls begin digging through their pockets for their cell phones, but Kotone is the first to pull out hers, it's bright orange colouring catching the others attention. Takeba too, pulls out her own phone and begins to go through her contacts. Who would be the best to call in this situation... She doubts her brother would put the phone on loud-speaker, and she's never once called Sanada-senpai on his cell before.. Which leaves Junpei, who seemed like the best option in this situation, a first.

She goes through her phone, going down to the 'I' section, and selects Junpei's name out of the bunch.

"We're not currently with the others, so it may take some time for us all to assemble." Kirijo-senpai quickly explains to their group's founder, worry coating each word.

"I see..." He pauses for a moment, and they all hold their breathes. "Well, regardless, I want you to handle this as soon as possible. I'm on my way there now."

"If the target cannot be captured, do we have permission to destroy it?" Oh man, they're going to destroy a _tank_!? It's beginning to sound like a twelve year old boy's fantasy right now..

But Ikutsuki-san simply laughs at them, and a dark tone fills his normally cheerful voice. "I highly doubt you'll be able to destroy it."

"What..? But then how are we supposed to stop it?" Fuuka clutches her dress, and they all begin to wonder whether or not this is some sort of sick prank. If they can't destroy the weapon, then are they supposed to just sit there and take it's attacks until the lab people came for it?

"Just do your best. I'll call you again later." He ends the call, leaving the four staring at each other with anxiety in their minds.

...He doesn't pick up.

"He's not answering.." Kotone mumbles, hanging up the call before it went through to voice mail.

"None of them are."

The redheaded woman sighs, and begins to turn around on the spot, heading back down the trail. "Don't worry about it. Let's go back and get our equipment. Then we can have Yamagishi's Persona scan the area. Although, this island is quite large..."

"Geez! What's so important that they can't answer a phone call!?"

* * *

Junpei huffs loudly, his arms on his hips as he begins to yell at the top of his lungs to both of his friends, one of which was currently drawing patterns in the sand beneath him, and the other looked ready to fire a water-gun at his back.

"It's ridiculous! We're at the beach, it's the middle of summer, and they're going on a hike in the woods!?" He throws his inflated tube down on the ground. "Now that it's come to this, we have no other choice!"

Minato looks up from his odd doodles, confusing filling his blue eyes as he stares at the taller boy, who was causing quite a ruckus and bringing plenty of attention with how far his voice carried.

"What do you mean, 'we have no other choice'... That sounds ominous.." He mumbles, crossing his arms over his knees.

"We're on our own now, just us guys! If you're outta ammo, you pick it up on the battlefield! That's one of the most basic military tactics! Looks like it's finally time for.. Operation Babe Hunt!"

"...Babe hunt? You mean like, pick up girls?" Akihiko doesn't like the sound of this already, and it's clear in his voice.

"Whaddya think, Sanada-san? With you on the squad, we're guaranteed to succeed!" The amount of cheer and pride in his voice was almost swaying though. "And we've got Minato here too! His quiet charm would pick up chicks!"

"I think I'll pass." He runs a hand through silver locks with a sigh.

"Oh, scared you'll lose?"

"W-What!?" That clearly sets something off. If one thing was clear about Sanada, it was that he hated even the idea of losing. The senior turns his hesitant gaze onto their shorter companion, a questioning tone in his voice. "What do you think about this, Arisato?"

"...Why not." Nothing else to do anyways. And this sounds like it'll be fun.

"Then, Arisato'll be our leader like usual."

"Gotcha."

The one who suggested this now seems a little lost; if not a little heartbroken. He clearly wanted to be the leader this time around too.

"The loser has to buy dinner at Hagakure when we get back home!" Their senpai exclaims, and once Minato's standing firmly on his feet, he calls out. "Commence the operation!"

"L-Loser? Whaddya mean loser?" Junpei becomes more and more anxious, as it dawns on him what's being implied. "Wait, we're hitting on them separately!?"

* * *

Operation commence!

"Hi there miss," Junpei gives a wink as he approaches a slightly older looking girl, most likely university aged. "You here alone? Why don't you come hang out with me for a bit?"

The reaction he receives is expected, as the older woman clicks her tongue in distaste, her eyes looking down at him like he's vermin; the scum of the earth. She quickly explains that she's here with her boyfriend, putting as much emphasis on that as she can so the teenager gets the image.

"O-Oh, I see... you're here with your boyfriend, haha.."

A little closer to the beach's curling waves, Akihiko wasn't having much luck with his 'attacks', either. He approaches a young woman, who seems rather excited to be approached by him, right up until he opens his mouth.

"H-Hey there! Say, do you know the most efficient swimming technique? The butterfly stroke uses your leg strength to.." The woman quickly shuts him up however, bluntly telling him that she doesn't care. "..Oh, I-I see."

In an unsurprising turn of events, Minato isn't actually participating in any of the flirting, instead choosing to sit down on a large rock and watch as his two team mates fail miserably at picking up women, something he actually doesn't find too surprising. Sure, Sanada was a pretty face, but three months of knowing him has taught the leader that his senior is the most socially awkward man to ever walk the face of the earth.  
..And that didn't even get him started on Junpei.

Speaking of which, he was approaching another girl, this one trying to apply sunscreen to her body. He grins wide, and speaks with a confident tone.

"Need someone to rub sunblock on your hard-to-reach areas? Oh, don't worry. I'm _really_ good about it." The girl scoffs at him, loudly exclaiming that she's trying to get a tan, and for him to move out of the way. "Oh, 'scuse me, then..."

Yikes.

The two teenagers quickly return back to their leader, who has a wide smile on his face, one that almost mocks them.

"Y'did good." The blue haired teen snickers, and the two glare at him.

"What were you doing!?"

"Watching." The two scoff.

"We know you were watching! You were supposed to join in!"

"...Then, why don't we try together? Like the original plan."

The other two boys look at each other, as if communicating with their eyes on whether or not that sounds like a good idea or not. If Minato suggested it, then he might've had a plan of some kind, if he was treating this like another operation into Tartarus.. But whether or not that was a good thing was yet to be seen. Junpei seemed to think of this as a fantastic idea, as he excitedly bounces around on the spot.

"Nice, Minato! Good idea!"

Soon, their leader pushes himself off the rock, and the three begin to walk towards the nearest group of girls. Three, all sitting down and relaxing around a parasol, talking about whatever it was that girls talked about. It wasn't like any of them knew what that was.

"Alright, this is my area of expertise, so listen up.. First off, think of something to talk about- something they might be interested in. Give them an easy question to get the ball rollin' That's the golden rule. Somethin' like... 'Where're you from?' or 'Havin' fun?'. Pretty soon, you'll be tossin' questions and answers back and forth like you're playin' catch. I'll start things off, and you can ask the questions, alright?"

With a nod from Minato, they approach, and the three ladies take their attention off their conversation to look at the newcomers, albeit with rather upset faces.

"Hey, ladies!" Junpei starts them off, waving his hand in an attempt to come off as friendly and likeable.

"...Having fun?" He flinches slightly when he's shoved in the back by Sanada, for what he presumes is absolutely no reason.

One of the girls, her green clothing and short bob being her most noticeable features, immediately begins to talk, her tone full of dislike for the three already.

"..None of your business."

"Hey, no need to be shy. We don't bite."

The girl wearing a yellow bikini speaks next, and just like her friend, she's equally spiteful.

"Why should we tell you?"

"Come on, cut us some slack.. We just want to talk."

Akihiko clearly begins to become rather uncomfortable with the way things are turning out as he whispers to Junpei in a rather hushed voice. "I thought you said you were an expert.."

"Hold your horses... I'm just gettin' warmed up. Watch and learn.." He whispers back, and quickly turns back to the three ladies with his signature grin. "So, ladies, are you in college?"

"Um.." The last girl, her brightly coloured orange bikini standing out in the blinding sun, speaks up. "Don't tell me you guys are still in high school.."

"That's right." Welp- their leader's just doomed them all.

The green clad one clicks her tongue. "High school kids vacationing in Yakushima? That kind of pisses me off."

"Well, we were invited to our friend's vacation home.." Akihiko trails off. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"Good for your friend. We, on the other hand, have to pay for our vacation with our hard-earned money."

"I guess we're just lucky..." Had that just now struck the baseball loving idiot?

"Yeah, lucky you." The yellow one sighs. "Whaddya want, anyway?"

Minato speaks up before any of the others. "We came to hit on you."

"Huh?" The girls all begin to laugh. "Hey, you're pretty bold."

More like blunt to the point of being stupid.

"Stop giving them compliments and just ignore 'em."

Iori waves his hands, in an attempt to catch their attention. "W-Wait, don't do that! How can you blame us for wanting to talk to such beautiful women?"

The girls sigh. "These guys are full of shit."

"Yeah, let's get outta here."

The blue haired teen waves them goodbye, as they begin to pack up. Iori, on the other hand, tries to continue talking.

"Come on, give us a chance... How 'bout a walk on the beach?"

"You're annoying."

"See ya, boys."

Their senpai scoffs at them, crossing his arms over his chest as he looks at Junpei with quite a bit of disbelief. "So much for your _**expertise**_."

"Hey, I did my best! What about you, senpai!? You think you can do better? Come on, show us what you got."

"W-Why should I?"

"Well, you're supposed to be a tactical master, right? And, isn't our duty to help each other succeed?"

"Ugh.. I guess you have a point there." He begins to look around the beach. "Fine. I'll give it a shot. I'm sure I'll do better than you. Can you give me a hand, Arisato? I'll set the pace, of course."

"Gotcha."

* * *

The three find a pair of women talking quietly while sunbathing, and Junpei hisses at Akihiko to finally 'show them how it's done'. Their senior, however, stands there quietly watching the two women, and hisses back that he should keep his mouth shut.

Finally, one of the two women notices they're being watched. "Hey, Nobuko. Are they staring at us?"

Nobuko turns around, and nods her head. "Yeah, I think so.. Wow, Yoshie, you can see them from there?"

She seems to be charmed by Sanada, as she giggles slightly. And he mutters that it's 'his cue', and he tells them all to approach. They do, and their senior gives a slightly shy smile and greets the two.

"H-Hi. S-Sorry to bother you, but I wanted to ask you something..."

The first girl, Yoshie, tilts her head curiously. "Yes?"

"Um.. Are you here alone?"

Nobuko giggles. "Are you hitting on us?"

He shakes his head. "N-No, not at all... We just thought that if you're bored, you might wanna talk.. We could get to know each other better."

"Um, that's what it means to hit on someone." Yoshie mumbles. "Don't you know..? It's so lame to hit on girls at the beach.."

Nobuko turns back to her friend.

"We were bored anyway, so why don't we just play along?" She faces the boys again, and gives them a sweet smile. "Hey, you boys are kinda cute."

"Nobuko!"

"Hey, how old do you think we are?"

"...Around twenty?" Minato asks. He's not too sure, actually. He knows it's rude to say one thing, but he also knows that some girls look way older than they actually are. Kirijo was just one of those examples. So, saying twenty seemed to be an even place..

"Seriously?" Her face lights up. "We look that young? Wow, you made my day... even though you're just trying to flatter us. To tell you the truth, we're older than that.."

Akihiko sighs. "Oh, reall? That's too ba-"

"Dude, wait!" Junpei cuts in. "Don't you know that older women are more experienced!? They're like fine wines!"

Yoshie raises an eyebrow, her tone impressed. "You're a pretty smooth talker for someone so young. How old are you guys, anyway?"

"We're in high school."

"I'll be graduating next year."

"That's a bummer..." Nobuko sighs. "We're not astrologically compatible.."

"Look, it isn't gonna happen, so just give it up. You don't even look like you're having fun talking to us."

"...We are."

"Or so you say. We don't have anything to talk about... other than work.. and that's all just complaints."

"That might be interesting." Sanada cuts in.

"You're not very good at lying, are you? You don't have to pretend to be interested."

Nobuko pouts, and sends a slight glare to her friend. "Come on, Yoshie, give him a break.. He said he's interested, right?"

"Hey, let's head back. They're waiting for us." Yoshie stands up, collecting her things.

"Th-They? ..You mean, you have boyfriends?" Junpei genuinely seems heartbroken.

"Oh, yeah, sorry. Did we forget to mention that? Well, gotta go." Nobuko gives a wave. "We're having a barbecue at the villa. You can come, if you want."

"...Uh, n-no thanks."

"Bye then."

That didn't go very well either..

* * *

In the end, the three decided to just return to where they started and went back to sitting down and relaxing. The three all seem rather upset about the outcome, but nobody seemed as roughly hit as Junpei, considering how badly his turn went. Akihiko did no better, but they were both pretty awful in the end..

"Operation- total failure." Minato mumbles, digging his head back into his arms.

"If this were actual combat... we'd be dead." When Junpei doesn't respond back with a silly response, the two turn their attention to him. "What's wrong, Iori?"

They all finally take notice of who he's looking at. A soft, blue sun dress clings to her thin frame, her short blonde hair dancing in the wind, a contrast against the deep sky. She stares out into the ocean, her eyes the same colour as the clothing she wears. She's a beautiful looking girl; it doesn't take a genius to know that. Maybe it was just the foreign looking features she had, her blue eyes and blonde hair, but she was definitely nice to look at.

"Right at the eleventh hour- an unbelievable wave!" Junpei clenches his fist. "You're truly cruel, God! I mean, she's seriously cute!"

"I agree."

"This is our last chance to make up for our failures.. Alright, here I go!"

He begins to walk forward, up the dock at a rather fast pace, whether out of excitement or nerves, Minato can't tell. The sound of his feet hitting the wood alerts the girl, and she soon turns to look at him with confusion etched on her pretty face.

"Uh, a-are.. are you alone?" He asks, his cheeks heating up. "I, uh, noticed you've been staring at the ocean.. I'm.. J-J-Junpei."

"...Ju?" Oh man, that's kinda cute.

"Uh.. um.. If you're free, wanna talk or something?"

"...I'm looking for a human." She turns back to the sea. "And that person is not you."

Junpei flinches, not expecting to be shot down so quickly, and turns back. He then practically forced their senior to go next, and he walks up to her. She's alerted of his presence quite quickly too, and turns around before he speaks up.

"Hey, you. Do you like the ocean?"

"What do you want? Is your question directed at me?"

"Um, I mean, the ocean's great, huh?" He places his hands on his hips, and begins to go off on another sports tangent. "They say that among triathletes, the ones that train in the ocean are way stronger than the ones who mainly train in pools. Just as you'd.."

"I have no need for information of that nature. It is irrelevant to me." She turns back again, and Akihiko returns, slumping down with a determined look on his face.

"..I haven't lost. I haven't lost, alright?"

For some reason, the girl is so familiar to Minato. He's sure that he'd remember someone who looked like her, someone beautiful, with such a stand out hair colour. But he can't seem to recall where from. He wants to find out where, though. It sits in his mind, aching and begging for an answer that he can't provide it with.

..So he stands up, and begins to approach the girl.

"Oh man, he's into it for once!"

He walks up in complete silence, listening into the waves hitting the beach shore and the soft sound of his flip flops hitting the dock. Something about this location is so relaxing to him. It's the light breeze that smells of salt, the sound of the foamy ocean, and how gentle the sun's rays are on his skin.

Somehow, it reminds him of his mother. Her maiden last name, anyway. It had been _'Shiomi'_ , with the ' _shio_ ' meaning tide, and the ' _mi_ ' meaning watching. Apparently she always liked the beach too, according to his aunt. It was one of the few things that they seemed to have in common, anymore.

He speaks up, voice soft and almost uninterested. "It's almost time for full tide, huh."

She turns to face him, and his eyes widen. Though her eyes are the exact same colour of the monster he remembers on that awful night; and it shakes him right down to the core, her eyes aren't that terrifying ice cold. No, her eyes are warm and life like, filled with a purpose.

"You are..." As the other two boys begin to run forward to see just what's going on, she narrows her eyes. "Initiating evasive maneuver. Confirmation must be made at a secure location.."

She quickly moves past the three boys, and runs off into the forest.

Junpei crosses his arms with a sigh. "What did you say to her to make her run off like that!? What're you waiting for, an invitation!? Go after her! If you don't, we'll all be in big trouble!"

"...Gotcha."

"Go tell her you're sorry!"

* * *

He's been running through the forest for a while now, but so far, he's had no luck finding the girl. He continues to run and run, itching as dirt gets all over his feet, but soon they come into a clearing. She hides behind a large sign, one that sits in front of a towering tree; and soon, she peeks out at him from behind it.

"I was correct. I have found you." She runs forward, and embraces him tightly. Her body is surprisingly firm, especially for such a skinny girl, but he's more shaken up by the sudden touch. "I have been searching for you. My highest priority is to be with you!"

...She really doesn't want to let go.

The other two come running forward, and all he can hear is Junpei screeching out in his 'sorrow'.

" _ **What**_!? I can't believe this!"

"What's goin' on..? He didn't even say anything to her.."

Even though the others are around, she still seems like she has no plans of letting go any time soon.. It's beginning to make him a little uncomfortable. He's used to his sister clinging onto him, she's done that for all sixteen years they've been alive, but having another girl do it made his stomach crawl a little.

"There you guys are!" The four flinch in surprise as Yukari's voice resounds out over the forest, and four sets of footsteps come running towards them. "What are you guys doing here!? We've been looking all over for you!"

Fuuka purses her lips in confusion. "Um.. What're you all doing in the middle of the woods, in your swimsuits?"

"You have no idea what we've- Huh!?" She finally takes notice of the blonde girl. "Who's this?"

Mitsuru sighs. "Listen, we've encountered a problem. I'm sorry to interrupt your vacation, but I need you all to go back to the house and prepare for battle."

"That wont be necessary." The entire group nearly screams when Ikutsuki's distinct voice joins them. "We've found what we were looking for."

"What do you mean?"

He walks towards the blonde with a sigh on his lips. "You had me worried. You don't have permission to leave the lab on your own, Aigis."

"...I know."

* * *

THIS GOT.. RIDICULOUSLY LONG.  
this entire day in game is a very long one but  
i dont think i coulda squeezed it all into one chapter without killing myself  
anyway i love the operation babe hunt it adds so much character to the boys lmao theyre so dorky  
i liked both the femc's vers and the mc's so i mixed the two together.

i hope it was executed ok!  
this was a very minato centric chapter; we havent had one of those in a while!  
it was because aigis is introduced.

anyway, i hope y'all enjoyed!


	26. play (chapter 25)

i fucked up my psvita died on me wOOPS..  
this chapter took way longer than i expected it to because of that..  
also; last chapter was the longest! im rlly proud of myself haha;;

* * *

 _July 21st, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The group had found themselves in the reception room once again, though this time everyone seemed a little more than overprepared– considering the weaponry that sat by everyone's sides. They had been told to prepare for a battle, and that was exactly what they had done. It was too bad that Ikutsuki had told them a minute too late that there was no need for all the preparations..

"I apologise for all the trouble. Everything is under control now."

"So, what happened to capturing the tank?" Fuuka asks, concern still in her voice. She'd been the most prepared of them all, sitting in her small hands was the glimmering silver of her Evoker.

"Oh, that's been taken care of." There's a certain chuckle to his tone, and he gestures off from the side. "Come here, Aigis."

"Coming." A girl's voice follows his words, and soon the girl they had all met only earlier that day walks into the room. The only difference was, instead of the blue sundress she'd been clad in earlier that day, she now showed off what the clothing had been hiding– pure metal.

"This is _**Aigis**_. As you can see, she's a ' _mechanical maiden_ '." She bows rather stiffly, and everyone takes it as a chance to see just how mechanical she was. The plating that welded together her body, the foreboding magazines on her arms which implied that she had weaponry on her somehow, and the way her joints whirred with each moment. It was almost unnatural, and a little frightening.

"I am Aigis. My mission is to destroy Shadows." She pauses between words in an extremely unnatural manner, but her voice was scarily life like. If it wasn't for how clear her robotic parts were, she'd practically be a normal girl. "I have been assigned to SEES, effective immediately."

Yukari speaks up first, the other's all stunned in their surprise. "No way... It's like she's... alive."

"This is unbelievable.." Akihiko points out the obvious, but in this situation, it's hard to blame him.

"She's so cute, but..." Junpei's speaks almost sadly. "She's a robot.."

"Why does something like this exist..?" Kotone asks, her voice quivering a bit. "No... Why does _someone_ like this exist..?"

The chairman simply smiles, and begins to explain. "Anti-Shadow weapons were created ten years ago to combat uncontrollable Shadows. Aigis was the last one to be made... And she's the only one that still remains today."

Mitsuru purses her lips, and stares at the girl with disbelief. "An anti-Shadow weapon... Does that mean she..?"

"Yes, I am capable of operating the Persona 'Palladion'."

"She suffered major damage in combat and has remained in the lab ever since. It's still unclear as to why she suddenly reactivated herself this morning.." He shrugs, and changes the subject. "Well, I hope you all will get along."

They all sit in silence for a few moments, trying to make sense of everything that had just occurred to them. They had just gained a brand new member of their unit, and that was always a good thing, but their new member was a robotic weapon that they had all presumed was a tank. And it wasn't denied. Just what exactly is this girl capable of? It's crazy to think that she has the power and force of an armoured military vehicle, complete with the heavy firepower that comes with them.. Truly horrifying to think that now, that sort of power was in the hands of a group of teenagers.

"An anti-Shadow weapons with a will of her own..." Yamagishi's eyes light up. "This is amazing!"

It really was.

* * *

There was a insanely wide array of recreational activities to do inside of the Kirijo Manor on Yakushima. Everyone had decided to go downstairs to the recreational area of the mansion, excitedly playing the large array of games that decorated the area. She was definitely going to join them in a little bit, but for now, she just wanted some alone time.

She was tired after everything that had happened today, and really just wanted to relax for a bit. The home they were staying at was absolutely gigantic, and every corner had a new discovery around it. Something beautiful to look at, whether it was the elegant architecture or the beautiful paintings that decorated the walls. She'd decided to take a walk, praying and hoping that she wouldn't get lost inside of this labyrinth of a house. Part of her wouldn't mind it, but she gets this feeling that everyone would go mad looking for her, especially once the Dark Hour hit.

Her little journey had taken her to a balcony, one that seemed to lead out to the garden. She takes a mental note to remember the path she took coming here, so she could visit the garden some time during their visit. She'd hate to miss it.

"Kotone?"

She jumps– she wasn't expecting someone's voice. She turns, and to her surprise, she meets eyes with Sanada-senpai. He looked as equally confused as she felt, an eyebrow quirked up and his eyes wide.

He looks like he's about to say something to her, but instead he remains in complete silence. And something about that silence bothers her. His face falls, and he begins to look rather deep in thought, and it makes her a little scared. He's always been fairly talkative around her, a change from the quiet and intimidating aura she had received in the beginning. Nowadays, he was a senior that was a little awkward, but genuine. And even a little cute when he wants to be.  
And those thoughts scare her. They scare her in the way that she doesn't like the idea of her thinking them, but they also scare her in a way that she can't think what he'd say if he found out about it.

So she racks through her mind; has she done something to upset him recently? Without even thinking, she blurts it out.

"Are you mad at me?" She needs to know. Has she done something wrong?

"Huh?" The shock in his tone says otherwise. "Oh, no. I'm sorry.."

He begins to scratch his head, and his deep grey eyes scan the area in an almost worried fashion.

"Look, you don't need to tell me if you don't want to... But I wanted to know if it was true that you're going out with Junpei."

..That wasn't what she was expecting, and she immediately waves her hands dismissively. "What!? No way!"

She doesn't even know why she's being so defensive about it–– why she doesn't want him to believe something like that. It bothers her a lot..

"Oh.. I'm sorry. It was just a rumour I heard." A rumour? So it wasn't something that Junpei had spread around jokingly... No, thinking that way goes against how he acts. He's a flirtatious idiot, but he wouldn't claim something like that. He had joked around with it, but he was very clear on his stance about getting rid of rumours like that.

"...Don't get the wrong idea, senpai." She doesn't know why she doesn't want him to think that way.

This clearly shakes him a little, as the surprise that had left his face returns, and he bows his head again in apology. "Sorry. It was bad enough that I listened to a rumour, but I even confronted you about it... It was rude of me. When we get back, I'll make sure to tell people off if they say it again."

That makes her a little happy, actually. "You don't have to."

"No, it's fine. I don't like rumours anyway." He nods rather seriously, but he seems to have brightened up a little bit, like a huge weight has been lifted off his shoulders. Could he have been worried about her..? "I'd ask if you wanted to go get some food, but I wouldn't know where to go.."

He sighs.

"When we get back, how about we go eat somewhere you want to go? My treat." She smiles, and she's elated by that decision. And he can clearly tell, as his cheeks flush a little in embarrassment. "What would you like to eat?"

"Something sweet!" She giggles. She hadn't eaten very many sweets since returning to Iwatodai– at least, not counting the ones that Yukari gave her.

"Something sweet, huh.. Yeah, that might be good for a change."

Kotone begins to jump up and down in excitement, and he can't help but laugh a little. She's like a little kid being told they can go to an amusement park. He didn't know someone could get so excited over sugary foods.

"Easy there. How 'bout we go see if the kitchen hands'll give us something to eat?" He holds out a gloved hand jokingly. "Shall we?"

And part of her wanted to take it, but she never did.

"We should get some for the other's too!"

* * *

 _July 22nd, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

It was their third day of the Yakushima trip, so they'd all decided to take a trip to the beach, again. Even Aigis had come along, presumably so the group can get used to her, and get to know who she was.

"Man, it's already the third day of our trip.. It's too bad we have to go home tomorrow... I'd totally stay longer if I could.. " Iori pouts, skulking around the sandy beach with a childish air around him. Minato couldn't help but agree with him though, this vacation had been incredibly relaxing, and was exactly what they all needed. Soon, the goateed teen smiles. "But, I can't complain.. A lot of cool things happened while we were here."

"...How can he be so full of energy?" Akihiko groans. "We were all up so late last night..."

Aigis looks around, confusion painted on her face. "Do we have a mission at the beach today?"

"Nah, it's nothing like that. We just came to have some fun."

Fuuka, who seemed to have appointed herself as Aigis' helper, leans forward with a question on her tongue. "Do you understand what it means to 'have fun', Aigis?"

"Of course." Well, it had to be something in her programming.. It be a little weird if they taught her so many words and didn't at least give her that sort of basic knowledge. "Recreation is the refreshment of one's mind and body."

"Exactly!" Junpei snaps his fingers. "Wow, you sure know a lot about us humans."

He stretches out his arms, and excitedly runs into the water, dragging Aigis along with him.

"Alright, let's take one last dip before we leave!"

"Oh, hold on, Iori-kun.." Yamagishi speaks up, following them and stopping him in his tracks. "Is it okay for Aigis to go in the ocean?"

Yukari snorts, pulling her glasses up and pushing her bangs back. "Oh, I'm sure she's water-proof."

The teenage boy continues to play around in the water, but only Aigis returns back to the group.

"What's wrong, Aigis?"

She takes ahold of Minato's hands, and begins to drag him forward. "It is best that we all engage in this activity together. An activity in which only one person derives enjoyment is not the optimal method to 'have fun'."

The archer groans. "Ugh, do we have to?"

Despite her words, she follows the pair along with a smile into the water, excitedly playing along with the two. They splash and laugh, and are quickly joined by Mitsuru and Fuuka. The blue haired teen does take notice of how Ikutsuki arrives, still clad in his heavy looking suit, and begins to talk to his sister and Sanada.  
...He can barely hear it from here.

"Are you enjoying yourselves?" He asks. "We've been quite busy during our time here, but it looks as if we can relax a bit today."

The silver haired boxer nods in agreement. "..I hope so."

Junpei, with his hands on the trigger to the water gun, yells out towards the two slowpokes.

"Hey, Sanada-san, c'mon! It's your turn!"

"...My turn? What are they doing?"

The chairman laughs. "I'm glad to see that everyone is having so much fun. I've already told you what time the ship will be arriving tomorrow, yes? I'll most likely head over to the port early, so don't be late."

"Okay, I'll let everyone know."

"We can get back to business again once we're back at the dorm."

"Got it."

Junpei cuts in once again, his pitch raising even higher. "Kocchan! Sanada-senpai!"

Akihiko can't help but laugh. "This again..? I guess we should go too, Kotone."

He watches as his sister laughs sweetly, and nods. "Okay!"

Minato's just glad they're back to normal after earlier this month. God, he thought they'd be in that weird silent period forever. It really made their missions awkward. But, soon the two run over, quickly discarding the clothing they had been wearing over their swimsuits and joined the rest of the group inside of the water. He nearly falls to his knees as his sister jumps onto his back in sheer excitement, a sun like smile on her face. He's glad she's able to have fun like this– especially without worrying about the nasty scars on her back. She used to be so afraid of beaches and pools because of it, but now she was having fun with everyone else.

"..You're heavy, Kotone."

"Not getting off! Junpei-kun'll hit me with the water gun if I do!" She huffs.

"He'll hit me then!"

Aigis seems to take this the wrong way, and prepares her weapons to fire. Junpei practically shrieks at her, grabbing her arms and pulling them down.

"Holy shit, Aigis, wait! That's not what 'water gun' means!" To his surprise, he's hit with a large spray of water instead of bullets. "Ack!"

He hits the sand underneath the water, and Fuuka begins to laugh almost uncontrollably.

"Iori-kun is down!"

Yukari too, seems to see what's going on here, and with a large, playful smile on her face, sends a wave of water at the poor teenaged boy. "Alright, here's our chance for an All-Out Attack!"

He chuckles a bit. "Let's do it."

The group all practically pile on, with Akihiko taking back the water pistol and sending a large spray into the other's face, sending his hat flying. He's attacked with plenty of water, and he's squealing his head off and trying to guard himself, though he's laughing the entire time.

"Whoa, whoa, time out! I seriously can't take much more of this!"

Everyone was having so much fun, and that makes him so genuinely happy. He really does enjoy being around these people. It's getting livelier and livelier with every new member, with every new event that comes at them. And he can't tell what'll happen next. That excites him, he's never had anything make him feel this way before. He's never had people he's felt committed to, not people that weren't his sister. He's never had a goal ahead of him like he does now.

That little voice rings in his head: The Fool Social Link has ranked up.

* * *

congrats now ur friends are ready 2 die for u

"ya cant do social links on the yakushima trip"  
lmao watch me binch  
ANYWAY im kinda angry i think i went thru and did the next part of akihiko's sl  
without recording down what happens in my log which means  
i'll have to watch a playthru of that part and thats a **pain in my ass**  
bc i wont have the dates for when it happened  
i dont even remember tho ... i'll have to check when i can  
update: i checked. i was wrong, thank god

chapters short so i could wrap up the yakushima arc!  
i hope y'all enjoyed..

also.. writingsoul.. my cheeks flared up the brightest red when i read ur review..  
im so happy.. im so glad u like this fic and kotone.. its reviews like this that keep me goin

and grimreaper.. YIKES im sorry the dudes comin for u now. and thank u so much!  
im working rlly hard to find more confidence in myself,  
so i hope that sometime within this fic i'll be able to be a bit more confident in my writing.

i hope everyone enjoyed this one! it was very light and silly..  
i loved this arc a lot


	27. naganaki (chapter 26)

ok now that all the nice stuff is out of the way..  
WELCOME TO HELL KIDS, ONE WAY RIDE

* * *

 _July 22nd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

A young man, no older than twenty one, finds himself awake in a dark alleyway. The atmosphere around him has an eery green glow, and where his friends had stood only moments prior are towering coffins. There's this sense of dread, this sense of foreboding rolling down his spine as he looks around, fear setting into his mind. He doesn't know where he is anymore– this looks like the place he and his friends were hanging out, but it felt like a prison, or a torture chamber.

He didn't feel safe.

Three sets of footsteps begin to approach him, and he squeaks a bit in surprise, turning to the sound to meet eyes with three very strange looking people. A thin, shirtless man with tattoos spiralling up his arms, a young man carrying a silver briefcase, and a pretty young woman wearing goth lolita. It's a group he'd laugh at if he didn't feel so fragile and exposed. The looks in their eyes were like that of predators as they stalked closer from the shadows.

He begins to step back as they stopped in their tracks, every muscle in his body wants to turn on the spot and run away from these people, and he's not too sure why. Soon, the tallest man, the skinny one with tattoos, begins to speak. His voice has a low lilt to it, but feels almost dead in a way.

"Good evening."

He's like a ghost. "W-Who are you guys? What's the deal with this!?"

The shorter man steps forward, pulling a piece of paper out and holding it out for the confused soul to see. On it sits his name, his age, his birthday, his address and his occupation. It labelled so much about him. Why did these people have this!?

"Address, name, age, occupation, and so on and so forth. There's no question that this is you?"

This can't be real. He laughs a little, breath shaky. "Hah? What are you talking about? I don't get it!"

"There are people who hold a grudge against you. And so we've been hired to get revenge." He says it so nonchalantly, like it wasn't an insane thing to say.

This _can't_ be real.. He'll wake up soon, in his bed.. "Revenge!? That's got to be some kind of mistake! I haven't done anything!"

"The evil intent that you're aware of has no bearing on the evil intent sensed by your opponent." The thin, pale man begins to talk with that quiet and peaceful tone, one that doesn't match any of the words leaving his mouth. "After all, people hear what they want to hear, and believe only what they want to believe."

With slow, calculated movements, the pale man pulls a revolver out and aims straight for the man.

His breath hitches in fear, and his eyes widen in horror. "Don't tell me you're those avengers-for-hire that I'm hearing about on the internet.."

The man walks closer and closer, and the prey begins to shiver and cry out in terror. He screams out desperately, and begins to run off, but is soon shot straight in the back with the gun. With the loud bang and the slump of meat on the ground, the hunter pulls his weapon back.

"That was magnificent, your voice just now.. The most important thing is the emotion you showed."

The only female steps forward, her eyes observing their work quietly. The large hole left in his abdomen was slowly bleeding out, and the man seems to have passed out from shock, but he's still alive.

"He's not dead." Her soft voice states, and she earns a scoff from her blue haired companion.

"Leave him be. It's just a matter of time."

Another human joins the group– his breathing haggard and a little shallow, but his mental fortitude stubborn enough to hide it from the trio. He dodges the pooling blood, barely taking note of the life leaving another person near him.

"Up to your usual moronic antics as usual, huh?"

The long haired man simply chuckles. "Is that you? You seem to be in a great deal of pain."

The shorter man displays clear malice towards the newcomers, his eyes narrowed from behind his thick rimmed glasses, and his arms crossed.

"You've got some balls. We're just complying with demand, that's all." He shrugs. "If we kill during the Dark Hour, it'll only be replaced with another incident or accident."

"What you do doesn't matter to me, so long as I get what's coming for me." The heavily coated man scoffs, rolling his eyes.

The thin man turns towards this dark haired companion, giving a nod. "Jin, give him the capsules."

The man sighs, and walks forward, pulling a small bottle out of his pockets and handing them over to the man. He quickly rolls the bottle, checking to see if there's anything in it, before stuffing it into his own pockets and turning around.

"I'll pay you the same as always.."

"Hold up." Jin's voice causes him to stop once again, and the 'leader' of the three begins to talk again.

"This time, rather than compensation, we want information from you." He turns his gaze towards the spiralling tower in the distance. "About those Persona-Users. Lately, they've been partying quite hard when the moon turns full. And they've begun to spend quite a bit of time inside of that tower. What would you say their objective is? You know, don't you? Won't you tell us?"

"How would I know." The girl steps forward, but is stopped by the pale man.

"So you don't wish to tell us? Because they're your comrades... Is that it?" There's a laugh filling his tone.

"Wrong! I'm not one of them anymore."

The man hums, an eyebrow raised.

"I don't know all the details, but.. They've found out how to get rid of the Dark Hour, and that damned tower. If I get anymore information, I'll fill you in on it." With a wave of his hand, he begins to walk away, finally leaving the group's trap of a alleyway.

"...They wish to rid the world of The Tower of Demise..?"

* * *

 _July 24th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

Soft blue locks splayed out on a comfortable pillow, a slight part to his lips, eyes closed in deep sleep. Yes, this is how every morning should be– him being allowed to stay in bed for as long as he wants until one of the girls forces him out and into the cold real world.

...Well, it wasn't the girl he was expecting to wake him up this time.

"It is morning. I would like you to wake up now." He groans, pulling his thin blanket up and over his shoulders, pretending as though he didn't hear it. He opens his eyes, and instead of meeting the gentle brown of Takeba, or the piercing red of his sister, he meets soft blue. At first he can't believe what he's seeing; blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Ai..gis..?" He still can't get used to having this girl around, despite how he's had two days to get used to her..

"You have been roused without incident. Mission accomplished."

"Why are you... in here?"

"There is a sign that says 'Be five minutes early'. So I thought I would wake you up five minutes earlier." She states simply.

He groans, and flips over onto his side, facing the wall. "Okay, then I'm gonna sleep for five more minutes.."

"That, I cannot allow." She begins to shake his body, attempting to rouse him once again when there's a knock at the door.

"Sorry, can we come in?" He flinches a little. That's Takeba's voice.. and.. 'we'?

"Huh? It's open.." Oh. That's his definitely Kotone with her.

"Minato-san, you must get up." He can't concentrate on sleeping with so many people entering his room.

The two girls take notice of the robot, surprise filling their voices as they both exclaim her name upon spotting her.

"Why are you in here!?" Yukari cries, and he can hear her feet stepping into the room and towards the blonde.

"I can disable the lock on a door like this in less than two minutes." He pulls the blanket further over his head, hoping to drown them all out, but it gets past Aigis' quick reflexes and she continues to shake him. "That will not do, Minato-san."

"That's breaking and entering!" Kotone gasps, and grabs the mechanical girl by her arms. "You were told to stay in the operations room at night!"

"Listen to us!" The short haired girl cuts in, clearly in agreement. "Everyone's in an uproar because you weren't there when we woke up!"

Aigis turns her gaze towards the two shorter teens, and begins to talk as though she hadn't done anything wrong. "I believe the best place for me to stand by would be right here. Any problems?"

"Wha-What are you talking about!?" The pink clad girl turns a bright shade of red, and begins to stutter in disbelief.

* * *

 _July 26th, 2009._  
 _Evening.  
_

On the table in front of him sits a folder, the name of the young boy they had met before their trip on the front, and plenty of private information on him following. How the Kirijo Group got access to this, he really doesn't want to think about it. They were powerful, and probably pulled more than enough strings to get this sort of thing. They ran everything in this city.

"In short, I want you to act as his bodyguard." Mitsuru finishes her explanation with a summary.

"..Bodyguard?" Minato's not sure what to think of this. This child is currently living inside of their dormitory, for the summer anyway, and Ikutsuki had stated that he had the potential to become a Persona-User. The only reason why the kid needs a bodyguard is that they don't want him for the group, but..

"Due to his potential, he's highly vulnerable to attacks by the Shadows. Even if he's living here, Yamagishi has told me that he's been talking frequent walks around the city during the Dark Hour."

"..Why would he do something like that?"

"I don't know." She turns towards the folder. "But ever since he lost his mother– his only blood relative– two years ago, he's become somewhat... reckless. Since you and your sister are from a similar background, I thought you two might be able to reach out to him, but... I'm not sure whether or not Kotone'll be able to handle him."

So, he's to become a babysitter. "Alright. But, Kirijo. You're giving Kotone too little credit. I understand she may come across as rather mentally weak, but.. She's much stronger than I am. I'll handle him during the Dark Hour, but I'll ask her to babysit him during the day."

She flinches a bit, surprise clear on her face. She clearly wasn't expecting that sort of response from him, but she seems rather grateful to that response. She brushes thick curls out of her face, and nods her head slowly.

"I..I see. My apologies. I'll trust your opinion on it, Arisato."

* * *

His fist raps against the wooden door of his sister's room on the third floor of their dormitory, and he waits in silence for her to open it for him. He needed to discuss this new situation with her, to make sure she could handle taking care of a moody elementary schooler. It takes quite a bit of time, he stands out in the hallway waiting for at least a minute, but soon his sister opens the door just a tad– peaking out at him from behind it before opening it fully.

"What's wrong, Minato?"

"I need to talk to you. Can I come in?"

She purses her lips, turning her head back to look into her room for just a moment, as if she has something to hide. That confuses him, but soon she moves out of the doorway and allows him into the room. Across the floor was several sheets of paper, all with scribblings of his sister's handwriting on it, as well as a thick book on sewing and knitting. Beside the book? A basket full of yarn, with some knitting needles in it, and a small box presumably full of fabric and needles.

"...This is?"

Her face turns red. "I.. um.. got asked to join the Fashion Club, see? Bebe gave me all this stuff so I could practice at home.. and I couldn't say no.."

Bebe? The transfer student? He's met the kid only once, though he was a little strange, he was pretty friendly. He was rather nice to the old couple who ran the bookstore at the strip mall, and he seemed fairly harmless.. Still, why ask his sister?

"I think he was looking for you, actually.. He came into my class asking for an 'Arisato-dono'.. So everyone pointed out me.. He was really confused, but once I explained it to him, he asked if I'd like to join his club.. And you know the rest.." She laughs weakly. "It's not like I was forced! I was interested in this sort of thing anyway.. It's a useful skill."

That makes more sense, actually. She's never been one to say no to people she doesn't know, especially people with such an energy like that Bebe kid.  
Well, it doesn't matter to him. He likes that his sister's branching out and making more friends outside of the members of SEES. He takes a seat down on the floor, a smile on his face.

"It's fine, Kotone. I'm glad you're having fun here in Iwatodai." She takes a seat across from him, clearing out the mess that was her floor. "I'm not here to see what you're up to, though. It's about Amada– the boy who moved in for the summer."

"Amada-kun?" She tilts her head, auburn curls shifting with each movement. "What's wrong with him?"

"Kirijo asked if we could– no, rather, she asked me if I could bodyguard him during the Dark Hour. He's been wandering around outside during it. Apparently he's become rather reckless, so she was wondering if we could try to reach out to him." He pauses. "Our.. _situations_ are similar."

Her lips form an 'o', and she nods her head silently in understanding.

"I'm not too good with kids, though.. So I told Kirijo that you'll try getting through to him during the day." He sighs. "Of course, if you don't want to do it, I'll tell Kirijo that you're too busy to handle him."

"Ah, no. It's fine. I've been wondering if he's doing okay in the dorm anyway, since it's brand new and everyone is so much older than him.. And if I can get him to stop doing something like that while he can't defend himself, then I'll try talking to him." She smiles. "You do your best to stop him during the Dark Hour, okay? Even if he's a child, he's still got his own opinions and problems. Don't act like the adults did towards us. Be patient and gentle with him, but make sure you stop him if he's being an idiot."

He nods his head in agreement, a chuckle in his throat. He definitely hasn't made the wrong decision here. Despite her somewhat childish side, she was a lot more dependable than he was.

Now that that's been dealt with, Minato reaches for one of the pieces of paper, and begins to read it out loud.

"What's this one? A list of things what everyone likes and dislikes to eat in the dorm?"

"Stop it, you meanie! I'm just collecting information, is all! I need to know whether there's things that someone can't eat! What if I accidentally cook something and their allergic!" She huffs, snatching her paper back, but she's still smiling the entire time.

..This is the closest they've gotten to their past selves in a long time.

* * *

 _July 27th, 2009._  
 _After School._

A young boy sits on the shrine steps, in front of him is a small plate with food inside of it, and eating out of it was the small white dog who continued to guard the shrine, Koromaru. The dog is clearly estatic to be receiving food, and all Ken can presume is that the poor thing hasn't eaten in days. Well, it wasn't like he had an owner to feed him anymore.. He had to rely on the kindness of strangers.

"Why are you still here, Koromaru?" He asks the shiba quietly, who continues stuffing it's face. "The priest.. isn't even here anymore."

A small hand lowers onto the soft white fur of the dog, gently petting the starving dog. It whines a little bit, rubbing it's face into his hand. Such a cute dog.. and so loyal towards it's owner..

"It's tough, isn't it.. Being left behind." He was all too acquainted with the feeling. He continues to ruffle the dog's fur, until Koromaru suddenly perks up and begins to bark loudly at something approaching.

To his surprise, two of the students living at the dorm he's currently staying in stand there. A young man with blue hair and deep eyes, and a pretty girl with a messy ponytail and red eyes framed by thick eyelashes. Despite their differences, they had very similar facial structures, which implied some form of blood relation between the two. The two approach rather slowly, trying not to alarm Koromaru anymore than they already had.

But the dog backs down rather easily, wagging his tail and returning to licking up the extras clinging to the plate of food he'd bought with him. Ken watches the two approach slowly, and bows his head as politely as he can.

"Hello." He doesn't remember either of their names. They weren't Takeba-san, who he had met earlier in this year, and they certainly weren't Kirijo-san or Sanada-san, so he never felt like it was necessary to remember their names.. He regrets that a little now. "Um.. you live at the dorm, correct?"

The girl speaks up first, her steps like a skip as she approaches the young boy and the dog, kneeling down to be at eye level with the both. "Ah, I'm sorry! We never introduced ourselves on the day we met. I'm Arisato Kotone, and he's..."

"Arisato Minato."

The girl claps her hands. "You did it!"

The boy– Minato-san, groans a little in embarrassment.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you. I hope I'm not too much trouble at the dorm." The small boy scratches his cheeks. "I'm Amada Ken. You probably knew that already.."

Minato-san quickly sits down on the pavement as well, placing his bag beside him in silence. The three sit there quietly, but soon the blue haired teen begins to talk.

"...How have you been dealing with life at our dormitory?" That wasn't the question that Ken was expecting.

Kotone-san smiles, leaning forward a bit. "Have you been doing okay adjusting?"

Something tells him that they aren't here just to check up on him. That didn't seem realistic to him; not with everything he's learnt recently. The Shadows, the Dark Hour.. No, they had to be here because of what he's been up to recently. He stares quietly, not wanting to say a single thing, but he also doesn't want to come across as rude to his seniors..

"...It's fine. It'll take a little getting used to."

"I see. How've you been dealing our little... outings every night?" He flinches. To come at him with that right off the bat... Minato-san was rather to-the-point, wasn't he? "Kirijo informed us that you've been using our leaving to go for your own _walks_."

"And?"

The girl, who was in the middle of scratching Koromaru around the neck, speaks up. "She wants us to babysit you. Well, bodyguard you is what she called it. She's worried about you, Amada-kun."

A bodyguard? No... they've stated that it's nothing more than babysitting him. "I'm sorry, but I don't need a bodyguard."

"Amada-kun... I hope you know that what you're doing is dangerous. Sanada-senpai and Kirijo-senpai are just worried about you.. and we are too."

He feels sort of bad, though. They should have better things to do than hang out here with him.. And hearing that everyone worried about him made him feel all the worse. He'd made a promise to himself to not cause any trouble for the dorm members– to do his things and find out more about what happened to his mother in secret.. But..

"I'm sorry.." He bows his head low. "To come all this way for someone like me.."

"We don't mind." Minato gives a slight smile. "Just promise us you'll tell us when you go out for walks, and we'll hide it from Kirijo. You'll have to take us along too. We'll be able to fight any enemies that come your way."

...Somehow.. he's kinda cool..

* * *

 _July 27th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

As it slips into the Dark Hour, Ken finds himself sneaking out of the dormitory once again, not bothering to inform his brand new 'guards' that he's leaving. Though they said they'd keep him safe, and for that he was grateful, he really didn't need their help.

If he were being truthful, most of these trips were so he could really acquaint himself with all of this. He could barely believe it when Ikutsuki-san told him about it, so the only way he could press it into his mind that it was all reality was to immerse himself in it. It still felt so unreal to him, despite how often he'd begun to wander around after midnight, following the paths that the green moonlight lit up for him. He knew it was dangerous, he could hear people scream ever occasionally and he winced every time it happened.

But this is what must've happened to his mom, right?

Suddenly, the silence in the air is pierced by loud barking, Ken can hardly believe his ears. Koromaru was such a quiet dog normally, so why would he be going wild now of all times?

...Wait. Why can he hear Koromaru's voice? It's the Dark Hour right now..

Instinctively, he begins running desperately towards Naganaki Shrine, fear and worry filling him up as the dog's barking becomes more and more pained, until he finally makes it to the shrine, only to watch the white dog be thrown into the shrine's gate. He howls in pain, and falls to the ground with a shiver.

Attacking the dog was a tall, masculine looking monster. No.. this is one of those 'Shadows', isn't it? It's terrifying to look at, with a pressure that makes him feel so much smaller than he actually is. He's filled with fear watching it, but he so desperately wants to protect Koromaru..

He watches in terror as the small dog forces himself back onto his feet, growling at the monster ferociously despite his wounds.

"No way... You're protecting the shrine!?"

He's suddenly attacked from behind by a goop like Shadow, which climbs atop him and attempts to swallow him whole into it's black abyss of a body. He squirms and shakes in fear, trying to protect himself until there's a loud explosion.

And fire burns the Shadow up.

To his surprise, standing before him is Minato-san, and proudly behind him floats a graceful beast. Tall and reaching for the stars. But soon, he turns his attention to how Koromaru continues to growl and bark, climbing up the muscular Shadow and viciously biting into it, only to be thrown directly into the blue haired teen.

A metal handgun falls on the ground in front of Ken, gleaming in the green light.

As the Shadow approaches with stomping footsteps, he continues to shake with fear, being taken back to that night in October two years ago. This Shadow, and that thing that attacked his mom looked so alike, it horrified him to no end.

And he was going to die here, never finding out what happened to his mom. Never getting justice on the person who murdered her. No... or was it this thing that killed his mom? The likeness was uncanny.. If he destroyed this thing.. He'd be getting revenge, right?

He picks up the gun, his entire body shaking in fear, before letting out a loud scream, and aiming the weapon for his head.

A flash of blinding blue light blocks the monster from hitting him, and standing before him is his own inner self.

* * *

WHEEZES...

i love my kids but they all need therapy badly!  
ALSO.. can i talk abt takaya's weapon? that gun is used to hunt things like RHINOS.  
that thing has enough firepower to kill them. all humans are dead with that gun bro  
tho i guess persona users would have more resistance due to the boost they get physically

writingsoul! ur too sweet to me wtf!  
im so glad u like them,, theyre my beautiful kids who deserve lots  
and im so glad u enjoyed that scene!  
i thought it was one of the cutest things in game so im glad it was enjoyable

im glad you're noticing the development in the twins!  
im really enjoying showing off how SEES is influencing them in small, but big ways!  
minato in particular has already become much more open,  
though a lot of it has been around ken and his sister.. its still a lot for him

and kotone too.. shes doing her best,,,  
i wont spoil her development that i have planned, but i hope you'll all enjoy it!

thank u for all ur nice reviews;;  
i hope you all enjoyed this chapter!


	28. boot camp (chapter 27)

ejnwsnv  
i reread my last chapter.  
theres a few extra words in there on accident bc i was writing at my bedtime,,,  
woops! im a dumb ho sorry  
also,, i cant believe im updating every day again what is this miracle

* * *

 _July 27th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

His breathing becomes more and more haggard, hyperventilating as lightning rains down on the Shadow approaching him. The thing he summoned– for some reason, the name _**Nemesis**_ strikes his brain, fills him with a slight fear, but at the same time, it makes him feel safe. And even a little powerful.

The thunder rumbles as loud as it can, another set of electric bolts shooting down to strike the monster, trapping it in it's place. Once it was trapped, he changes tactics, and several talismans light up and glow as they slam themselves onto the creature's body, lighting it up and destroying it in one hit.

He feels so tired. Is he supposed to feel this tired? Are Minato-san and Koromaru okay? His entire body collapses from underneath him, and he soon falls down to his knees. He finally won, but he feels so... unfulfilled. It doesn't feel right, that thing was the one that killed his mother, right? But.. he doesn't feel like he finally got his revenge..

"Amada! Arisato!" That was the last voice that Ken expected to hear on the brink of passing out. He raises his head, meeting eyes with the person he looked up to so much. Sanada-san quickly broke into a run and stopped by the three, concern all over his face. He begins to check for wounds, asking first, but soon turns his attention to Koromaru– the one who had it worse out of them all.

"Why are you here, Sanada?" The blue haired teen asks weakly, still a little winded from a small dog slamming into his chest.

"Yamagishi sensed a Shadow outside of Tartarus. I was the closest, so I went to check.." He winces once the smell of iron reaches his senses. The shiba's pure white fur was stained with red. It's a pretty bad wound for such a small dog.. He rips a bit off the end of his shirt, pressing it to the dog's wound. "Gotta get through to the others... Yamagishi, come through!"

There's brief silence, and Ken wonders what's going on, until there's a soft bell like ring and static.

 _"This is Yamagishi, I can hear you."_

"Sorry, but I think you guys better come, right away." This scrap of fabric isn't going to be enough to help the injury..

 _"What's wrong? Is it a powerful one!?"_ Kirijo-san's voice also comes through the transmission.

"No, the Shadow's been defeated. In fact, it was already defeated when I got here." The disbelief is clear in his tone, and he turns his gaze towards the dog, and the young boy. Minato too, seems a little shook up from what had just happened in front of him.

 _"What happened?"_

"This little fella's been injured... I wanna save him if we can." He cuts off the transmission, and with a soft 'sorry', he lifts the dog up. It whines a little, and with a flinch from Akihiko, he apologises again. "Are you two able to stand? If not, Arisato, can you help Amada?"

Slowly, the group's leader pushes himself up onto his feet, nodding his head. He's a little embarrassed that he got knocked down so easily, but right now, the dog's safety was their top priority. The poor thing was still bleeding, though the ripped shirt that was being pressed to his wound was definitely helping slow it down, just a little bit. Judging by the senior's words, the other members of the group would be showing up soon... Hopefully they bought a first aid kit with them.

* * *

It had taken quite a bit of time, during which the two had filled their senpai in on what had happened before they'd shown up. He was quite surprised to hear that Ken had summoned his own Persona– so much that it had taken him a moment to truly sink in. Once that conversation had ended, the group all discussed about how to stop the bleeding without further hurting the shiba.

Soon, a large group of footsteps ran towards the group, followed by the loud cries of all their friends.

"Koro-chan!" Fuuka exclaims, her big blue eyes filled with horror at the sight.

"Oh, no! Are you okay, Koro-chan!?" Immediately, Kotone picks up the pace, her hands tight around a small box; thank goodness, she bought along the first aid box. She stops in front of the silver haired boxer, in his arms was the little dog, and begins to dig through the box with shaking hands.

"You know this dog?" Mitsuru asks, looking at all the girls with surprise.

"Yeah, everyone around here does.." Yukari murmurs, her voice shaking with fear. Seeing such a sweet little dog so injured was heart breaking. "We have to help him!"

"First, we must stop the bleeding." The redhead turns towards the junior girl, who was trying to peel the blood stained fabric off the wound.

She needs to clean it, and then place a new bandage around it.. But there's no water around here to clean the wound. She's not exactly a pro at this sort of thing, either. She's just a regular teen who knows basic first aid for small cuts and burns, not wounds like this!

"Man... he's one tough fighter. Amada and Arisato told me he was fighting that Shadow all by himself until they came along."

"Wait... does that mean this dog's a Persona-user!?" Junpei can't believe that idea, but the fact it was the Dark Hour only further pointed to that idea. Only humans could summon Personas, that was the original idea.. And Aigis could only use one because she took the shape of a human, and was given a personality... Did this dog have something similar?

"He says, _'This is a place of peace, so I protected it'_. There are flowers over there." Speaking of which, the blonde takes a few steps towards the dog, staring him in his large red eyes, watering up from the pain, but refusing to give in.

"Those flowers... They must be for the priest who died in the accident..."

"So, he really was guarding this place.." The pink clad girl stares quietly at the flowers. This dog was so loyal, and such a fighter. He was doing his best to survive right now, trying not to squirm in the boxer's arms, and trying his hardest not to growl and bark at the auburn haired girl trying to fix his wounds.

"Uh, Aigis? Don't tell me you can translate dog language too..."

"Canines do not have their own language. However, speech is not the only means of communication."

"This fella really is a rare breed." Sanada smiles softly, trying to relax the dog a bit more.

"Confirmed."

"...He's not the only one." The goateed teen mumbles.

"Alright, let's report to the Chairman, so we can conclude this mission." Their redheaded senior takes a look around, pulling out her phone with a sigh. "As for a vet... It may be midnight, but I believe I can arrange for one."

"Good job, boy. You're one amazing dog..."

* * *

 _July 28th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

"Are you okay, Amada-kun?" The concerned voice of Kotone rings out in the dormitory's living room, as she leans close to the small boy, her small hands holding tight onto a plate, delicious sandwiches sitting on top. "Have you calmed down a little? Do you want some food? Or some water?"

He nods his head slowly, but refuses to take any of the food or drink she offers him, which only causes more worry in the girl. Her rosy lips purse tightly together into a slight frown, and she begrudgingly places the plate back on the coffee table in front of them. Not too far from the pair, Fuuka and Junpei are fixing up her rather shoddy patch up job of the severe wound the dog had before the vet arrived to properly take care of him.

"There we go!" The support-user smiles brightly, and ruffles the dog's fur a little. "You did such a good job, Koro-chan! Make sure you thank Sanada-senpai, Amada-kun and Arisato-kun, okay?"

The dog happily barks, glad to have a bit more pressure down on the wound to stop it's bleeding.

"Koromaru wishes to fight with us, on our side, so it seems." The dog barks once again once Aigis finishes telling everyone what he's been saying, and she translates once more. "' _I will repay you for saving me_ '. That is what he seems to be saying."

Yukari kneels down in front of Koromaru, a smile on her face. "Heh? You sure have a strong sense of duty, don't you?"

"He's a very loyal dog, isn't he.." The auburn haired girl says, but she seems to be rather impressed.

"But, how will he be able to fight?" Concerns are raised by their aquamarine haired member, who continues to run her hands through the dog's white fur.

"No, I think it's feasible. The fact he was somehow able to interact with the Shadows shows that Koromaru has what it takes to be a Persona-user." Sanada folds his arms, and nods his head in agreement with himself. His words made some sense; if a robot could use a Persona, why couldn't a dog?

"Still, it's a little impossible to believe.." Junpei looks up at his senior.

"If properly trained, he could become a better warrior than you, Junpei." He points out, in a rather matter-of-fact manner. "Sounds interesting, right? And besides, he did great. He protected what he was supposed to protect. He's a good dog.."

Kirijo sighs heavily, her hands on her head. "Alright, alright. I'll inform the Chairman of Koromaru. But, all his care and feeding is up to you. Got that?"

"Sure, no problem. Rest assured, I'll turn him into a fine canine warrior!"

Minato suddenly pipes up. "I'll help too. I like dogs."

The younger twin takes note of how the little boy beside her shakes with each word spoken by her senpai, before he finally whispers in a barely audible voice, like a tiny puff of air that gains momentum as he grew confidence.

"Um... me too. Let me fight too!" He pauses, his cheeks red with embarrassment. "...Please."

The entire group can't believe what he's saying at first; he was just a candidate for a member of SEES, but they were all debating on whether or not he should actually be allowed to fight along side them, due to his age and size and strength compared to other members. They all didn't like the idea of a child on the team, mostly due to the fact that he should be allowed to have a somewhat normal childhood, despite the problems he'd faced in the past. If he joined them, his lifestyle would change dramatically...

"You're all fighting that monster that just showed up, right?" His desperate pleas at noted by each member. "So let me help you out! Please!"

"Why, all of the sudden?" Blue locks brush against his shoulder as the leader tilts his head in question, his eyes examining the child. "You've known about us for a while. Ikutsuki-san must've informed you on at least some of it, no?"

The boy nods his head, hiding his face. "It's really vague and all, but I remembered something. Two years ago.. it was them that killed my mom! So please!"

Akihiko flinches a little at those words, and for a reason she can't quite identify, his expression darkens over in an almost guilty, sorrowful manner.

"Let me fight with you all!"

The broadsword wielding teen slams his hands down on the lounge's arms, earning a squeak from the girl sitting right where he'd done so. "Good for you! Wanting to avenge your mom at your age... You're gonna make me cry! Senpai, you don't have a problem, do you? Let's let him join us!"

"But..."

There's silence in the air, before finally, one of the two senior's speaks up.

"Alright." The boxer shakes his head. "But, if you're going to fight, you're going to look out for yourself."

"Right!"

"That's good to hear. Okay, so that means that, from tomorrow, Amada and Koromaru will undergo boot camp with me."

"I'll come too." Minato puts his hand up. "It'll be good training outside of Tartarus.."

"Oh, then, me too!" Kotone chimes in. "I'm still less experienced and less athletic than everyone else, so I could use some training.."

"Sounds good."

Ken suddenly remembers something, and quickly stands up from his seat, running over to their field leader. "Um, Minato-san! Thank you for what you did earlier. And, I look forward to working with you from now on."

"Sure thing."

* * *

 _August 4th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Another full moon is coming up, and with the additions Amada and Koromaru, they needed as much training as they could get. They were about seventy floors into the tower of Tartarus, mostly due to the constant pushing of their leader Minato to climb as high as they could and make sure that nobody had accidentally wandered inside of the spiralling labyrinth.

They were pretty good at rescue missions, with SEES splitting into groups in order to progress up the tower, but also to save whoever was trapped inside, especially on lower levels. They had all decided it would be safer for the two newcomers to do their training down there until they caught up with the others.

With a slightly muffled bark, Koromaru summons his own Persona, a large three headed dog that controlled flames and the dark. The guardian of Hades, Cerberus. The girl's had all pitched in excitedly when coming up with the dog's clothing; but they had ultimately decided on a little vest (Yukari and Fuuka had made cute little wings to on it!) with the armband for their group. Although they'd originally wondered why a canine would need a weapon, with his sharp teeth and powerful bite, Sanada had insisted that it would be safer for Koromaru to carry something in his mouth, fearing what taking in a Shadow's substance would do.

...So they'd given the dog a knife.

"That's good, Koromaru." The senior member nods his head, singing his praises. "The next one's coming, don't let your guard down, Amada."

"Right!" His small hands quiver around the polearm he'd chosen to wield, he runs towards a smaller sized Shadow with a large yell, slashing down on it with a ferocity he hadn't felt since the accident. He didn't fear these monsters; he had the power to defeat them, and that's exactly what he'll do.

"Amada! Your form's still sloppy! You'll get attacked from behind like that!" The boy flinches (and even shrieks just a little) as the end of another long pole weapon knocks into his side. "Long weapons only mean that you need to be careful when your enemy closes in, just like that."

He turns his surprised gaze from the red clad boxer, to the smiling girl who'd poked him in the side. They shared similar weapons, which seemed to be why Kotone took such a heavy interest into his training. He felt a little embarrassed under her watchful gaze, as she would often point out little things like his openings and foot placements, which only further made him want to improve.  
..Not because he wanted to impress her. Because he wanted to surpass the other polearm user.

Their weapons were similar, but very different at the same time. His was a thrusting weapon, or even meant to be thrown. Hers however, was a slashing weapon, albeit a slightly heavy one, despite being a _ko-naginata_ made specifically for women. It's weight allowed for cutting and striking, and the _ebu_ , or the pole end, could be used offensively and defensively. The weapons that most of SEES used were definitely lighter than most, and that didn't even count the physical bonus that Persona-Users were granted in the Dark Hour.

"Amada-kun, you're doing a lot better than you were a week ago. You're still a little bit open, but due to your size.." She pauses, and he frowns. "It can't be helped. And besides, you have all of us to keep you safe from enemy sneak attacks."

"It's just more ideal if you're able to both look after yourself, and fight for yourself." Minato finishes.

"I know. It was one of the conditions you all proposed to me." He shakes his shoulder out, his muscles aching. "And I intend to be able to do as much as anyone else."

The three high school students all smile, nodding their heads in agreement.  
He wasn't ready for a Full Moon Operation, but he was definitely a warrior-in-the-making.

"Alright, let's all do one more floor."

* * *

UWAA this chapters a bit boring but its ken and koromaru's chapter mainly so!  
what can ya girl do? its a child and a dog.  
ANYWAY next chapters a full moon operation!  
if ya watched the movies, you'd know that a certain someone'll be joining very soon as well  
if my memory serves correct... the gangs nearly all together

im glad youre enjoying this fic! your kind reviews really make writing it worth it !  
anyway im gonna bounce!

i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!


	29. trapped (chapter 28)

ARE U READY KIDS!  
NO?  
ME EITHER!

* * *

 _August 6th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

"Any luck, Yamagishi?"

It seems to have become a tradition for everyone to meet inside the Operations Room on full moons; as everyone stands anxiously, weapons by their sides and Evokers close, waiting for an answer with baited breath. Sitting inside of her Persona's protective shield is their mission control, doing her best to help out the group in the only way she currently can. She's not a fighter, after all.

As for Ken and Koromaru... They've been told to stay behind and watch the base. They were very argumental about that decision; Ken in particular was seething, but ultimately gave up as he realised there was no arguing.

"Yes, I've located it... and this time, it's not just an ordinary one."

Sanada grins, leaning forward from his spot next to the door. "Now, that's more like it."

Lucia soon disappears, leaving with a soft bubble like burst. The girl brushes off her clothing, and wrings out her hands slightly.

"It's by the deserted houses in the northern part of Iwatodai... But, there is one thing that's strange..." Her eyebrows furrow in deep thought. "It seems like it's underground... almost ten meters."

"It must be in some kind of basement." Mumbles Yukari, her fingers fiddling with her quiver.

Aigis shakes her head simply, blonde locks shifting slightly with each shake.

"According to my records, there is no structure in the area that matches those criteria. However, in the past there was an underground facility that was used by the military."

"The military?" The brunette turns towards the Chairman, who had been sitting in silence up until now. "..Is that true?"

He smiles, slightly. "Well, the architectural area and geographic area were uploaded into her memory bank. Then again, the information hasn't been updated in a decade."

"That is correct."

Meaning that.. whether or not this is true, it'll be decided when they get to the area. The idea of fighting a Shadow inside of a basement like area is a little unnerving– unlike Tartarus, it wasn't some seemingly never ending tower with stairwells and teleporters, it was a place that had one entrance and one exit that the Shadow could exploit. Minato breathes out slowly, he'll have to formulate a plan for stopping that from happening.

"Uh.. Wouldn't that be a good idea?" Junpei's right. Updating Aigis' memory banks should be of upmost priority, especially since she'd been reassigned to SEES. He sort of wonders why Ikutsuki hasn't done it yet..

Akihiko speaks up again, a question on his lips. "So, how should we interpret this?"

"There's no way of knowing without actually going there..." Fuuka murmurs, apologetic.

"It seems war's scars may be deeper than we think..." Mitsuru says, poised and ready for anything. In a way, they were their own little soldiers, inside a tiny little war right now, weren't they? One that nobody would ever know about, but one that was so important.. "The situation is still unclear at this time. Therefore, we should await until we arrive to determine any strategies."

"Agreed."

"Understood."

His sister takes a few small breaths, as if steeling her nerves before pumping her fist high in the air. "Let's go for it, guys!"

He sighs, but a smile creeps onto his face. "Let's do our best."

* * *

The glow of green light streaming through from above into the underground facility, the way blood like water dripped into small pools, the mould that creeped up the walls and sat dangerously in the corners only further made this place unsafe to be in, not including the Shadow that lurked around in the darkness.

Deep blue eyes analyse each corner of the area they're currently in, taking in the relatively small size of the entrance and making notes of anything that could potentially better or worsen their upcoming battle. The others too, seemed to be preparing themselves as their senpai began to make sure their weapons were in perfectly working order, and the juniors were busy digging through some of the trash left lying around in curiosity.

"Minato-san, the enemy seems to be over there." Aigis speaks up, pointing down a long tunnel that was nothing but darkness.

"It's only a few blocks ahead of us." Fuuka speaks up, her hands tight around her Evoker– ready for the moment the battle began. From that point onward, her role was clearly defined. She's their mission control, their support unit, and the only one guiding them through the battle. "It seems like it's moving, but it's incredibly slow.. It's best that we catch up to it before it gets any closer."

He nods his head slowly, taking in the information he was being fed. "Gotcha."

The group of teenagers (plus one robot) make their way around the darkness of an old military base, and he feels like throwing up a little as he spots a skeleton; dressed in military garb and a shotgun pointed where his head used to be. On the floor beside him was his skull, the exit wound clear at the top. He feels sicker and sicker looking at it, and turns his head away from the decomposed body.

He can't seem to escape it, as they walk further and further into the space, the more skeletons they find, plenty with gunshot wounds in their heads. It was almost ironic, these men must've pointed their guns at themselves and shot, and now their space was being intruded by a group of children who carried pretend guns that they shot into their brains.

Junpei turns his gaze towards the much shorter girl beside him, raising an eyebrow high. "The Shadow reading is..?"

"Somewhere back there."

Suddenly, like a rumble of thunder, a stranger's voice interrupts the entire group's train of concentration.

"A most accurate grasp of intel." Standing in the doorway are two men, a rather tall (albeit extremely pale and frail looking) one, and a shorter, but rather malicious looking one. They both had this look in their eyes, but the taller one was definitely a horror to look at. He felt cold and dead. Like the girl from that night.

He instinctively tightens his grip on his sword.

"However, you shouldn't fancy yourselves the only ones with data at your disposal."

He grins, and Mitsuru narrows her eyes. "What are you talking about?"

"My name is Takaya. This is Jin." He ignores the woman's question, and proceeds to politely introduce himself and his companion. "We're also known by some as Strega."

"...Strega?" Sanada gets into a defensive stance, his arms up in a guard. They were dangerous, it seems their seniors have determined that.

"Now then, we have observed all the hard work you've put in until today. I hear that you look upon it as a noble battle to protect the people." He darkens considerably, but the amiable smile on his face never leaves. "But, tonight.. I've come to put a stop to that."

He grips tightly at his hand, and groans in pain. There's a flash of blood red light, and a hurricane of winds sending streams of shimmering carmine everywhere. Standing above the man is a grotesque monster, with veins covering it's entire body, and a pair of disgusting wings made of bare flesh.

"A Persona!?"

The stranger's Persona flaps it's giant wings, and with a green glimmer, a storm of gales is summoned up, nearly sending everyone flying. It takes Minato a considerable amount of effort, digging his heels tight into the ground, not to fly off due to the winds, but there's a loud groan in the air, and the giant metal gate is closed.

They're trapped.

The group relaxes as the winds stop, and begin to look around.

"...Does this mean we're locked in?" The capped teen asks, his sword slung over his shoulder.

Nobody gets time to answer, as a distinct hissing sound begins to fill up the room. It gets louder and louder, and for some reason, the air feels heavier and heavier.

"What?" Kotone asks, turning her head back and forth, looking for the source. "What's that sound? From above?"

The group looks up, and coming through the vents is a purplish gas. Once they all take notice, Takaya's voice can be heard from the outside.

"Since we're all here, I took the liberty of using what was on hand at this base."

Yamagishi pulls the trigger on her Evoker immediately, and is surrounded by Lucia. Her eyes are closed in thought, but they soon snap open with fear.

 _"Everyone, don't breath it in! It's a toxic gas that will paralyse your nerves!"_ Everyone immediately slams one of their hands over their mouths and noses, desperate to keep the gases from reaching their lungs. Minato takes notice of how Kotone and Yukari cling to each other, with the two girl's slinking further and further down to the floor as the room continues to fill up with the poison.

"It's one thing to tell us not to breath it in, but..!" Iori begins to cough, but manages to keep his hand where it is.

Minato is a little bit more than angry. This was cowardly– they didn't know these Strega people's motives, and they were being killed with a gas, instead of a fight. If they were Persona-users, they should come at SEES head on. This was just hiding behind a steel door, literally.

"Why are you doing this..?!"

Another unfamiliar voice; presumably that Jin fellows, rings out. "It's fairly simple, really. You're trying to eliminate the Dark Hour, so you're a nuisance."

"If the Shadows and the Dark Hour are eliminated, our powers might also vanish." Takaya states it so simply. "That, we simply cannot allow. You all need to rethink what it means to do away with the Dark Hour. You all need to realise that now, you lead a far fuller life than you did before you knew about the Dark Hour."

Nobody responds, and the only noise is the toxic seeping through the vents at an alarming speed. They'll be dead soon.

Their leader growls. "You think we all enjoy this!? We'll all be glad once the Dark Hour's gone!"

He begins to cough uncontrollably; he's breathing in too much toxins. His body begins to crumple a little, his knees giving way, and there's a muffled scream from his sister. She's forced to not move by Yukari, and he's soon met by Aigis, who helps prop him back up.

..They were all going to die. Yamagishi couldn't keep her Persona summoned forever, eventually she'd have to send it off and would end up being exposed to the toxic. The rest of them would die much earlier. The only one who would survive would be Aigis.

There's a loud rev, and the sound of dirt being ground up by tires. A siren sounds off, and everyone weakly moves their attention to it.

"What's that noise!?" The archer asks, her voice weaker by the second.

"What is it now?!" His sister cries, her red eyes filling with tears thanks to the gases.

That damned Takaya keeps monologuing from behind the door, his monotonous voice drawling on and on.

"Do you wish to go back to your former, empty daily lives? What you're all doing is merely an act of hypocrisy." Hypocrisy... That may have some truth to it, loathe as he was to admit. "We don't want people such as you to eliminate the Dark Hour. Therefore, we ask you to make your exit, now."

There's the sound again, this time of metal gears shifting, and gates opening. In front of them, a large panel opens in the ground, and out comes the Shadow they had come to defeat, in the form of a tank. Junpei hisses in fury, complaining loudly about the timing of the damned thing.

Sanada moves his hands from his mouth, to his Evoker. "Let's take care of this fast, and get out of here!"

Minato runs to join him, pulling out his own tool and pulling the trigger in time. The flashes of blue combine, and out comes Polydeuces and the towering figure of Oumitsunu. There's a large flash of purple light, and Akihiko yells out for their leader to take the attack. He does, commanding his Persona to strike forward, and with it's large, stone arms, it slams down on the tank like monster with a fury.

 _"The enemy Shadow is still viable!"_ Fuuka cries, but widens her eyes as suddenly, a small winged beast separates from the armoured body. Aiming it's large gun for the group, it swoops down and proceeds to shoot, causing the group to all fall to the ground in an attempt to dodge.

His sister in particular has it pretty bad, her body was already thin and frail, but the toxins were getting to her quickly. She desperately keeps herself up on her hands and knees, her body shaking as she loses all her strength.

"I can... barely move.."

"Kotone!" Yukari places a hand on the girl's back, but soon begins to cough heavily herself.

The blue haired teen as well, having taken in a lot more than the others, began to use his sword to prop himself up, his arms quivering with his futile attempts. And the Shadow continues to speed around the room, before taking position once again, and aiming it's cannon at the group.

It fires.

He's going to die.

But he doesn't.

Aigis speeds in front of him, and begins to fire her own bullets, destroying the Shadow's in mid air. She turns her head back to him, concern in her eyes and soft voice.

"Are you alright?"

She prepares to fire again, but the Shadows quickly recombine into one. Their coordination was impeccable, timed perfectly to dish out as much damage as they could with their opponents already so weakened. The tank Shadow revs it's 'engine', and it's wheels spin uncontrollably as it takes off at speeds a tank wouldn't be able to reach, headed straight for the group. The mechanical maiden steps in the way, stopping the monster in it's tracks. Her eyes narrow.

"Danger detected." A circle of blue surrounds her, and her own Persona Palladion takes the stage. She's the only one who can fight this battle now, and she knows it. But none of them want her to fight it on her own. It's too dangerous– she'll get destroyed in the battle.

Each time the cannon fires, the Persona blocks it off. This is bad.

"Aigis! You can't fight it alone!" He yells. Everyone can see how her joins bend and ache as she blocks the monster, electricity sparking as they threaten to pop off. She shakes as her ability to hold it off weakens considerably, but her stubbornness shines through as she refuses to move an inch.

"It is my job to protect you!" Her metal body presses further and further into the ground, and she no longer has a choice. "Disabling all limiters! Orgia Mode – activate!"

The headphone like part of her body begins to spin, and her joins light up as the pressure in the air becomes heavier and heavier. And like it's a sheet of paper, she throws the entire tank over head and into the wall. As it shoots and shoots at her, she goes from being only able to block to dodging each hit with ease. She speeds up, her feet hitting the wall behind the Shadow as a distraction, and she slides underneath, firing off bullets of her own.

The sparks fly as metal clashed against metal– a sound he hates so much, but it's their only saviour at this point.

The smaller winged Shadow separates again, and the blonde robot jumps up to it's height and slams it down with her bare hands, knocking it into the other Shadow it had associated with. That Shadow 'stands' up, forcing it's armoured body into an upright position, and swings it's wheels at the girl, who continues to dodge and send pellets and pellets at the two creatures.

The two prepare to fuse again, and she prepares to fire once again.

"I wont let it–" The glow to her body stops, and a loud power down sound rings out. Her body stops in it's tracks, her words paused mid sentence.

The redheaded fencer narrows her eyes, her voice a tremble. "Is she overheating?"

Aigis takes notice of the steam leaving her body, and crumbles down to her knees. "This is.. an unexpected... development."

The Shadows get back into positon, and aim their turret at the robot. She's in prime position.

Desperately, for reasons he doesn't understand quite well, he begins to force himself closer to her, calling her name. But he can't get any closer, and he too, falls to the ground like the others.

"Arisato-kun!"

"Minato!"

Everyone breathes heavily, desperate to get more oxygen out of the toxic air around them, shadows underneath their eyes. The first one to speak up again is his sister, her bell like voice nothing more than a small whisper, filled to the brim with fear.

"This is it for us.. Mama, Papa.. I'm sorry..."

Suddenly, the door is smashed open.

" _ **Castor**_!" That's a voice Minato didn't expect to hear..

A horse riding figure smashes open the metal, sending it flying into the Shadow, and it's followed by a hellhound and a slasher grinning chainsaw like figure. There's a giant burst of fire following up the horseman's attack, and also there's a feeling of calmness that takes over the group. Healing.

Akihiko grumbles as he pulls himself up, taking sight of the newcomer. "These Personas are..."

He takes in the sight of three figures standing in the entrance, two small ones and one tall one. And he feels so relieved, but also just a little more than taken aback.

"Shinji..."

The group watches as Minato finally forces himself to point his Evoker at his head, a pained growl in his tone. "Toto.."

A monkey like Persona appears, and soon there's a flash of white light where the two Shadows stood, and an explosion.

They're gone.

...He passes out.

* * *

golly gosh... this was definitely a lot more action heavy..  
nobody does anything but minato, aigis and the nice timing heroes  
lol.. anyway. past few chapters have been very minato heavy!  
so next chapter y'all'll get a nice big helping of kotone bc i love my child

she didnt get to do enough this chapter but. this was for the sake of The Plot (tm)

as per usual, i hope everyone enjoyed this chapter! i have to go to bed now so!


	30. festival (chapter 29)

fifwiw  
i had sunshine pikapika ondo on repeat for this chapter..  
it got me in a festive mood

* * *

 _August 6th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

The members of SEES sit inside of the old military facility, trying to catch their breathes and return from what was basically the brink of death. Yukari and Kotone slowly pulls their bodies up off the ground, and the auburn haired teen can't help but thank her lucky stars that the ability of Persona gave boosted physical abilities. If they were normal people, being inside that room for as long as they were would've killed all of them.

She'd normally be so angry at Amada-kun and Koro-chan for going against everyone's orders, but in this case, she can't help but be grateful. They saved everyone's lives, after all. They'd be dead without them. She soon watches quietly as the only stranger (in a sense that she didn't know his name) walks over to her brother, and pulls him up into a sitting position, giving the blue haired boy a quick shake.

"Hey, you alive?" His words send a chill down her spine, and her breath catches in her throat. Her brother wouldn't die like this, right? He couldn't... He can't. The man reaches for her brother's neck, checking for a pulse before sighing. "He's just out cold."

She wants to cry her eyes out. He's always doing this to her. Always getting himself into situations that he'd come out severely injured or killed in, and he always pretended like it didn't mean as much as she made it out to mean. Maybe he didn't care about his life, but she certainly did. They had a duty to fill out– live the lives that their parents gave them, and the lives that they died for.

Kirijo-senpai makes her way over to Fuuka, her normally elegant steps a shaking mess. "We need to.. contact the Chairman."

She's barely able to speak properly... They're all absolutely ravaged from that battle, and none of them did that much.. It was all Aigis..  
Was she always this useless? She needs to get stronger.. She's just a liability at this point.

"Oh, right!" The girl closes her eyes for just a moment, and aims her Evoker for her head. "Lucia!"

There's a brief silence, until the air is broken by the familiar voice of Ikutsuki Shuji.

"This is Mitsuru. We've neutralised the target."

 _"Good work. You may return."_

"Wait, there's more..." She coughs, but continues on after excusing herself. "Our mission was interrupted by an uninvited guest. He was a Persona-user."

 _"A Persona-user!?"_

"...And he wasn't alone. They appeared quietly during the Dark hour and seemed to be aware of our activities. They locked us inside and used the gas at this old military facility. We all would have died, if it weren't for Amada, Koromaru and... Aragaki."

 _"Aragaki? I see... we'll discuss that once you all are fully rested and in better shape. As for our new adversaries, did they say anything that might give us a clue?"_

"Come to think of it... They said they were called 'Strega'."

 _"...Strega?"_ There's a pause in the Chairman's words, and she swears she hears him exhale deeply, as if he's uncomfortable. _"I'll see what I can find out."_

"Thank you. We'll be back a little later than usual. We need a little time to get over the toxins."

 _"Alright. You've all done your best."_

* * *

 _August 11th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

She and Junpei had decided to go to that nice cafe at the mall. They had been going to summer school recently under Kirijo-senpai's recommendations, so saying they needed a little bit of a break before returning to the dorm for more studying was a bit of an understatement. Once they enter, she's refreshed by the smell of coffee in the air and the coolness of an air conditioner. Definitely, this was a good idea in the scorching heat of the summer sun.

They quickly order their drinks and find a small table with two chairs to sit down, and she takes notice of how her baseball capped friend is looking around with a somewhat embarrassed look.

"What's wrong, Junpei-kun?"

"Ah, nothin'... These places are real girly, huh? Not really somewhere I'd hang out with my guy friends, haha.."

She tilts her head in confusion. "Don't you go on dates?"

These places were pretty popular for that sort of thing... She wasn't sure why, personally, but she's seen plenty of couples hang out inside this calming little cafe. His face lights up red, and she can see the sweat crawl down his forehead, despite the cool AC running in the background.

"Yes? No? Yes and no?" He sounds a little desperate... Was she wrong? He takes a large gulp of the coffee in his mug, and hums rather pleased. "Wow, the coffee here is really good. The owner must be super picky about his beans and how he roasts them all.."

She wasn't expecting that.

"You have good taste."

"Huh? Oh, haha, I just like coffee." There's a proudness to his tone that makes her smile. She likes seeing Junpei happy and confident, especially with how he can be during battles. "Kocchan, what did you order?"

She holds up her mug between both her hands, and sticks her tongue out teasingly. She's a little embarrassed, actually. She always made fun of him for being childish like everyone else did, but she definitely was the kid between them when it came down to what they ordered.

"Hot chocolate."

"That's a girly drink. Suits you, though." He snaps his fingers suddenly, surprising her. Has he just thought of something..? "Oh, hey, are you interested in any guys? If y'are, I'll help you out! It'll be fun being your cupid."

Her cheeks flush a little. A boy she's interested in? Even now, she doesn't know that many boys.. But for some reason, the face of her snow haired senpai pops into her face. Quickly, she shakes her head, trying to deny what he said and get that image out of her head.  
That's completely wrong. She's not interested in anyone right now.

"Ooh, how about Sanada-san?" She flinches a little. Is he a mind reader!? Does Junpei-kun secretly have psychic powers!? "Girls are absolutely crazy about him. I mean, I can see why, but.. If you go for it, watch out if you get played."

She frowns. That's not a very nice thing to say. She prepares to say something, but the navy wearing boy cuts her off.

"Actually, scratch that... I get this feeling that Sanada-san would be way too serious in a relationship..." Well, at least she didn't need to scold him. His tone changes, and soon he's asking her something. "Hey, why don't you go for it? Think about it, a cute transfer student swoops in and takes the heart of the boy everyone wants... It'd be cool, right? Like something out of a manga."

"Don't talk about Senpai like that." She huffs. Sure, Akihiko hasn't opened up to her very much, but she knows that he's not that sort of person. Every time they've spoken, he's been gentle and surprisingly serious. But he also had this child like side.. It was cute. She wont tell Iori that, though. She'll never hear the end of it.

He laughs. "Sorry, sorry. Might've gone too far there. But seriously, I totally think that guys like Sanada-san could fall in love with someone like you."

Despite the AC cooling off her body, she suddenly feels like she's burning red.

* * *

 _August 16th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Thanks to Ken and Minato, they'd managed to get Aragaki-senpai to join them on their visit to Naganaki Shrine for the Summer Festival. Since they'd managed to rope him into coming along, the boys were currently waiting down in the foyer for the girls to finish getting ready.

Just for today, a maid from the Kirijo family had come all this way just to help them all get their _yukata_ on. A beautiful woman with deep violet hair, and gentle maroon coloured eyes, and a pretty name to match. Saikawa Kikuno. She was surprisingly young, so much so that they were all glad that she hadn't worn one of those 'traditional' maid outfits, else Junpei would have a field day.

Her hands worked deftly to fit each girl into their _yukata_ , folding the left over the right to make sure they weren't dressed for the dead. She had even gone out of her way to bring them all ones they could wear, asking Kirijo-senpai for their personal colour preferences and measurements.. It was a little embarrassing.

Yukari was clad in pink and white checkered patterns, with soft yellow and red flowers dotting the fabric. The mix of yellow accented nicely with her _obi_ , which matched in colour almost perfectly. It was soft and cute, and suited her.  
Fuuka's was a seaside blue, covered in sunflowers. It had a certain subtleness that suited the girl, whilst still being cute to look at. The splash of red that was her sash worked perfectly, though.

...Mitsuru definitely looked the best. Clad in snow white, with what appeared to be a plum blossom pattern, their regal looking senior managed to pull off every sort of clothing she tried on effortlessly. Her curls of wine were pulled back into a rather messy bun, but somehow it worked perfectly.

Kotone herself hadn't been sure what to wear. Saikawa-san had bought along another pretty white _yukata_ , with a lily-pad pattern on it, but she almost felt like it would be silly to wear white next to someone who pulled it off so elegantly.  
Eventually, she chose out a pink one, with a cherry blossom pattern. She thought it was cute, and the others seemed to agree. Saikawa-san seemed to think that a green _obi_ would look best, so once she knew what she was going to wear, she let the expert handle the rest.

Even Aigis was coming along for the excursion. It would be her first time outside that wasn't during the Dark Hour, so they had to make sure she was on her best behaviour. But they had all agreed that she should be dressed in a yukata that suited her more 'western' features, which lead to a navy blue dotted with white daisies. It suited her quite well, and it hid all of her.. less than human parts.

Now that everyone was all dressed, they quickly grabbed their _kinchaku_ , a type of drawstring purse for carrying money and cellphones, and made their way down stairs with excitement.

Once the boys caught eye of the group, Takeba splayed out her arms to show off the sleeves of her outfit, an excited tone entering her voice. "Ta-da!"

Junpei snorts.

"What do you mean, 'ta-da'? You need to don your yukata with more grace, Yukaricchi." He shakes his head in mocking disappointment.

"Oh my _**god**_ , the way you said that was so annoying.."

Fuuka wrings her hands together, her cheeks stained a soft pink. "I'm not used to wearing one, so it's really embarrassing.."

"Don't be silly, Fuuka, you look great!" He gives a thumbs up. "And man, Kocchan you look great in a _yukata_ too! I'm a sucker for girls in them... What makes them sexy is that it looks kinda hard to walk in..."

A pale hand reaches out and slams down over the goateed teen's head, the hero who had saved them from potentially murdering the poor man being Minato. His eyes were narrowed, but despite that, he seemed to be scathing. The other boy apologises, mumbling something about how much it hurts, and the group sets off.

* * *

Naganaki Shrine, which was normally so empty the rest of the year was now bustling with people. Lanterns lit up every corner, and festival drums played off in the background, drowned out by the excited chattering of the patrons. They had split into small groups– Kotone had seen her brother wander off somewhere with Aigis, Amada-kun and Aragaki-senpai in tow, and Junpei had taken Yukari and the other girls to find a food stand and a nice place to see the fireworks.

This had to have been planned by that idiot, it absolutely couldn't be a coincidence. Only a few days he was snickering about her going out with Sanada-senpai, and now here she was, wandering off alone with him.

"Wow, it looks like business is booming. There's a lot of people too... Make sure you don't get separated, okay?" Her senior looks at her with concern in his eyes, and she can't help but focus on how the crowd forced them to stand closer than they normally ever would.

Somehow, she feels a little bold.. "Should we hold hands?"

"What are you talking about? I don't treat you like that much of a kid, do I?" He laughs, but holds out his hand for her to take. Her skin prickles with embarrassment, she wasn't expecting him to actually listen to her. She takes it, and becomes acutely aware of whether or not her hands are sweaty. She hopes he doesn't notice, even though he was wearing his usual pair of gloves. "Come on, let's go pay a visit to the shrine first."

Well, she's happy that he seems like he's having a lot of fun. The two pay a quick visit to the shrine, ringing the bell and making a small prayer. On their way back into the crowded aisles of games and food stands, he speaks up once again.

"...That looks hard to walk in." Ah, he said the same think as Junpei did earlier.. "You didn't need to wear a _yukata_ here, you know?"

Does she not look good in it? Is it the colour? Does it make her look silly..? Like one of those _hinamatsuri_ dolls? She thought they were cute, but her brother always said they looked silly.. She begins to pout. Maybe she shouldn't have worn it after all..

"Oh, er.. I didn't mean... well, um.." She looks up at him through thick eyelashes, and barely notices the tinge of colour to his face. "It... makes it hard to look directly at you. Y-You look good in it! Don't get mad..."

Her eyes light up at those words. She's glad that he thinks she looks good in it... She'd worn it to match with the others, but she'd always loved to go to festivals wearing pretty clothing. Her parents had never gotten to see her and Minato's last _shichi-go-san_ but she liked how it made her feel a little bit closer to them. She always felt happy seeing the cute kids dressed up in November for it.. Well, it wasn't November, but it's a festival she wont ever forget.

"It's okay, Senpai. I'm glad you think I look good! I was a little nervous... Everyone else looks so cute in theirs.." She holds onto the strings of her purse tight, and smiles up at him. He looks away, and she can't help but giggle a bit. He's a little weak to this sort of thing, huh?

"...Something smells good." He suddenly speaks up. They meet eyes with a takoyaki stand, and she can feel her mouth water at that delicious smell. "Takoyaki, huh... Wanna share one? It's my treat."

"Alright!" She wants to jump in the air with excitement, but her clothing and _geta_ restricted her.

He laughs. "Excuse me, one takoyaki please."

The cook turns to look at them, and speaks up with a wide grin. "Ooh, you're one fine lookin' man. You get an extra one, hot stuff!"

He's a older gentleman, probably in his mid to late forties, and has this certain 'dad' air to him that she hasn't encountered in a long time. It makes her a little nostalgic, even. Maybe if her dad had lived, he would've been like this man.. He soon begins to get their food ready, and turns his friendly gaze towards her.

"Say, is this your girlfriend? Ahh, the good ol' days of youth."

Her senpai gets rather... worked up. "Th-That's not it! Oh... um..."

He's handed the _takoyaki_ with a hearty laugh, and he quickly puts it in his mouth to shut himself up. He quickly swallows down, and makes a slight noise. Was it too hot for him? She takes her own _takoyaki_ off the plate they were given, and begins to blow on it, learning from the boxer's mistakes..

"That was a dangerous bout..." He smiles. "But I came out victorious in the end. Eat up."

He eggs her on, and she quickly takes a bite into the food they were sharing. It's hot, but not too hot. It's just right. And it tasted really good.. Not like the ones from that shop at the strip mall, this was definitely food you could only get at a festival.

They thank the cook, and take their time looking at the different shops together. Her senpai stops in front of a mask shop, a nostalgic look on his face.

"Masks... I remember those." He leans in, and checks the price. "Five hundred yen, huh..? I can actually afford these now."

Her head tilts, eyes full of curiosity. "Mom and Dad never let us buy them. Since Minato would always get bored of them after we got home.. But... you couldn't afford them?"

"...They were too expensive for me to buy when I was a kid. When I came to festivals, I'd just wander around and go home because I couldn't buy anything. Now I actually have the money..." She feels a little bad. Her life had been awful up until she was six, but now that she thinks about it, she doesn't really know all that much about Sanada-senpai. She wants to learn more about him.

She's broken out of her thoughts by the cheerful voice of a game attendant, who flags them both down with sheer peppiness that could rival Kotone's own. "Hey! You two! Would you like to play Lucky Draw? All you have to do is pick a ball! It's easy! And, everyone's a winner!"

The two share a look, steel eyes meeting rose.

"Lucky Draw, huh...?" Her senior purses his lips in thought. "I've always doubted whether it's really possible to win the stuff on display, but... Give it a try, Kotone. I'll pay for it."

She steps over to the attendant, and a large box is held out towards her. She sticks her hand in, and stirs them around, hoping to get something good. She thought of herself as pretty lucky, so it shouldn't fail her now, right? She pulls one out, and holds it out for the attendant to see.

"Whoa! Congratulations! Man, you've got some luck to win something at our booth, miss! Here's your prize. It's a Jack Frost Doll!" The attendant puts the box down and fishes a chubby stuffed doll off the display for her, and her eyes light up with excitement. It's really cute. And it looks super cuddly.. Almost instinctively, she hugs the doll tight to her chest. It's super soft. But.. Senpai paid for it, so it should go to him, right?

She holds out the doll for him.

"It would've been amazing if you'd won first place.. Though, I'd hate for you to use up all your luck here, of all places." He shakes his head. "Oh, you're the one who drew the win, so the prize is yours."

Eh? She can keep it? She blinks for a few moments, trying to register it. When they were little, Minato used to steal things she won at games, especially when they'd split from their parents. After they passed and he became reclusive, she used to win things just to give to him.  
It felt.. kind of weird having something from a festival she could keep.

"..I'm saying you can have it."

She holds it close, her smile shining. "Then, I'll treasure it."

The two continue to walk around, taking in the sights and just generally making memories. This was a good night, one she wont forget for a long time. And despite how dark the sky became, it wasn't over yet. They still needed to meet up with the rest of the gang to watch the fireworks. They should be starting soon, after all.

"Oh wow.. We must've been here a while. It's pitch black.." She tilts her head up, and she can make out the slight twinkle of stars in the busy sky. "I had fun taking a breather today. Thank you."

She laughs. "Senpai, it's not over yet! We gotta go watch the fireworks with everyone else!"

A _yukata_ clad arm links with his own, and she begins to drag him with a smile. They need to find the others, after all.  
And she wont admit it to his face, but she'll have to thank Junpei-kun for rigging the pairings like this.

* * *

Minato finds himself walking around in mostly silence with Aragaki, Amada and Aigis by his side. Well, Aigis was there mostly so she would keep quiet about how they blackmailed the shadier teenager to come along with them, but she seemed like she was having a lot of fun regardless of why she was here. And the little boy... he was having so much fun too.

The expression he wore now compared to the face he had only a few weeks ago was definitely much better. He had a bright smile, and his eyes glimmered as he watched Aragaki catch several fish in one of the little parlours. The other two fish were thrown back in, but one of them was put into a little bag that was handed over to the brown haired boy.

"Wow! Aragaki-san, you're so good at this!" His eyes sparkle as he holds the bag tight, making sure that he doesn't lose his new goldfish.

"Is that tomorrow's breakfast?" The mechanical girl asks, a genuine question that almost felt like a joke.

The senior turns back, his eyebrow raised in disbelief. "Like these are edible!"

"There's not much meat on them." Minato points out.

"That's not what I mean!" He sighs. "Take good care of 'im, alright?"

Ken nods his head, his cheerfulness made him feel like a totally different kid. "Thank you very much! I will, I promise!"

"You have secured your emergency rations."

"Come on, they aren't for eating."

The blonde girl and the little boy run off the second they spot a head of maroon red, wanting to grab the other members of their party to show them a spot that Amada knew was great for watching the fireworks. It was just him and his unsociable senpai now. The two least talkative members of the group..

There's a brief silence as they walk slowly to catch up, but soon, Shinjiro speaks up.

"You doin' okay? You passed out in that last battle." He turns blue eyes to the taller man in surprise. "Seriously.. What's Aki and Kirijo feedin' you kids.. You're all too skinny. No wonder you were out cold after what happened."

"Ah, I'm fine." This is a little surprising, really. Not that Aragaki had a caring side– his display of that was what got him roped into coming along in the first place, but he wasn't expecting it to be directed at himself. "..Kotone's doing her best. She's never had to cook for so many people before, so I think she gets a little overwhelmed with cooking sometimes. On those nights, we just eat leftovers or go out to eat."

"Kotone?"

"My little sister. We're twins, but I'm a little bit older. Only by a few minutes." He explains, but he really wants to get off this topic.. "Still, Aragaki, I wasn't expecting Takeba to be right when she said you were a big softie. Koromaru mentioned how you always feed him, and how he loves the food you make. You should make the rest of us food some time. We'll have to see how good the food that he loves is."

"Don't you dare tell Aki. He'll force me to cook for him." The heavy coated man growls.

"I wont... but you'll have to cook me some of that food too." He laughs a little, it's only light, but it's still a laugh. He really does want to try out his senior's cooking, though. Aigis said that Koromaru sung the highest praises for Aragaki's food, and he wanted to see how it held up. Besides, it sounded like a bit of fun. He wanted to get to know their new member too.

"Alright, alright. Jeez, you're pretty stubborn, huh?"

"I didn't think you'd say no. You're a kind person, after all." He smiles, softly. "After all... you saved us all in the alleyway, and you've been nothing but kind to Amada. But, I'm looking forward to the food you make me."

They turn their gazes towards Aigis and Ken, who excitedly called out for the two to catch up. They soon make their way up to a spot on a hill with the rest of their team (he pretends to not notice how his sister and Sanada have their arms linked) and watch the fireworks together. It's a moment of happiness, with the sky lighting up with fire flowers.

It's a memory he wont forget. He's spending time with his _**friends**_. And it's an incredible memory for him to cherish.

* * *

I LOVE MY CHILDREN!  
kotone deserves a lot of good things and also great food?  
i love my sweet angel who could kick my ass

anyway this chapter was,, me setting up flags

why do i always update at like, 12am. im so tired.

quickly! i'll answer a review!  
im not pairing aigis/minato! they'll be strictly platonic lol  
and i totally agree, haha.. theres not enough akihamu fics..  
the only thing i can recommend to u is the fan artist noctilin on twitter and tumblr..  
they inspire me a lot TT

im glad u seem to enjoy this so far.. i hope im doing good!  
i hope its all up to your expectations!

i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter.. this was a very long one


	31. painting (chapter 30)

why is this chapter all ship trash?  
o right bc i hate myself  
warning this chapter is lots of small bits split up bc of the PLOT(tm)

* * *

 _August 20th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Out front of Tatsumi Port Station, Iori Junpei is spending his time wandering around underneath the scorching summer heat. He wipes sweat off his brow, both despairing over the fabric of his hat and thanking it for shielding his eyes from the ultraviolet rays.

He checks his cell phone, and groans inwardly. It's already the twentieth.. Summer break's almost over. And there's quite literally nothing for him to do. With the special powers he has, he thought that the world wouldn't be as boring as it was. The only difference between his life now and his life before was that he wasn't stuck with his shit head of a father. He snaps his phone closed with a sigh, and takes a look around.

And that's when he spots her. Waist length red hair– not the shade that Kirijo-senpai's was, nor was it the shade of auburn that Kotone had. It was a unique, almost pinkish colour. And her clothing... Wasn't that a gothic lolita style? Surely it's way too hot to be wearing such a heavy style. He takes notice of the small book in her hands, a pencil grazing over the paper at a quick, but even speed.

..Was she a caricature artist? Nah.. there's nobody around her for her to draw. What's she drawing, then? There's nothing around here that's interesting to draw. He walks over to the girl, standing in front of her curiously, and she speaks up.

Her voice is soft, but her words are firm. "Move. You're in the way. I can't see."

"Uh.. sorry." He moves out of the way, rather surprised by her tone.

Man, he really wants to see what she's drawing.. He decides to go a little roundabout way, managing to take a peek at the girl's booklet. The pages are covered to the brim, scrawled all over with red and black. But it looks nothing like anything surrounding them. She's some sort of abstract artist, then? She takes notice, and turns her gaze to him.

"What do you want?"

"Uh, nothing... My bad."

He begins to walk away, but doesn't take his eyes off her for one second. What's with her outfit.. And what's with that drawing? He wont ever understand art, it seems...  
But, he's just a little curious.

* * *

 _August 22nd, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Kotone had decided to take Koromaru for a walk. She liked playing around with the albino shiba– he was fun and playful, but also a rather serious dog. It was cute. Today, Sanada-senpai had decided to come along. She didn't mind, actually.. They had a pretty good atmosphere after the festival.

"Alright, Koromaru, go wild!" The dog barks excitedly, running around and chasing a stick as the senior throws it as far as he can. It disappears into the darkness of the shrine, and she watches as the little flash of white follows it. Between the cheerfulness of the dog and the smile on her senior's face, she felt rather happy today. He'd been leaning back with his arms on his waist, but he soon wiped some sweat off his forehead with a sigh. "It's awfully hot for nighttime.."

"It is, isn't it? I guess it's the peak of summer, after all."

There's a brief silence, before he turns a surprisingly serious gaze towards her, and she can feel her heart jump out of her chest. It's a weird feeling– not like she's intimidated, but it's something she can't put her finger on.

He purses his lips for a moment, trying to think of what to say, before diving straight in. "Hey.. Someone needs to look after Ken. You've been doing a great job at it so far, so.. Can you continue todo it?"

She wants to laugh a little. And she does, though it's more of a chuckle. He put all that thought into something he knew the answer to? She nods her head lightly, a smile on her face.

"I'll take care of him."

"Good. I'm counting on you." He sighs, and turns back to where Koromaru is, chasing a bug of some sort. "So this is my last high school summer vacation, huh..? I don't feel like that's good or bad... I do have some regrets, though."

"It's okay to have some regrets. I mean, I think you're doing your best, anyway.. Senpai, you're _incredible_." She clasps her hands together, swinging them back and forth quietly. She's a little embarrassed, to be honest, but.. She's already come this far. "Compared to someone like me, anyway.. You're strong, and smart.. and reliable.. I'd love to be a little more like that."

Maybe that was why she envied her brother so much. He was strong, and everyone relied on him. He was smart, and everyone trusted what he did because of it. He had an ability that nobody else had, and that made him **special**. Maybe that was why she got along so well with Junpei. He too, was just like her, stuck underneath her brother's shadow with only one thing that their good at, and it's overshadowed by what her brother could do.

...She's probably a burden, huh... With Aragaki-senpai, Amada-kun and Koro-chan around, there's not much else she can really do for the group but continue what she'd been doing. A job with shoes anyone else could fill.

"You're fine the way you are too, Kotone." She snaps her head up. "Just have more confidence. Everyone cares for you because you're you, after all. Just keep doing your best."

She smiles. She really can trust Sanada-senpai, huh.. And he always managed to make her cheer up real easy. Even if he treated her like a kid sometimes, she didn't really mind it if it were him. She presses a pale finger to her rosy lips, her smile never fading as she speaks.

"Keep this between you and me, okay?" There's a bark, and the patter of four paws approaching reminds her of the little dog. "And Koro-chan, too."

"You got it." He kneels down to give the shiba a ruffle around the collar, a smile on his face. Seems like he's done playing for now... "You always seem happier when you come here. But, we should get back. It's nice enough at our dorm too, right?"

The dog barks in agreement, and the three make their way back to their home.

* * *

 _August 26th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Damn.. This year's going by way too fast. It's practically already the second semester.. Next year, he'll be a senior. Somehow, he couldn't imagine himself like the seniors from their group. They all did nothing but study or take on responsibilities. That was a little unnerving, and he really couldn't see himself doing what they could do.

With a sigh, Junpei takes another look around the station– what he's looking for, he's not exactly sure, until he spots a head of strawberry red. It's that girl again, and she's drawing today, too.. He approaches out of curiosity.

..And he gets a response immediately. "..You again?"

"Uh, w-well.." Wait a second. "I mean, I'm surprised you remember me."

"Same here.."

"Well, you kinda stand out in that dress.." She's silent in response to that, so he leans over to continue the conversation. "So... what are you drawing?"

"Nothing. Why?" She's reluctant, and standoffish towards him.

"Uhh, no reason..." He grins widely, trying to come off as more friendly. Maybe it was him that was intimidating her? "I was just thinking, it must be nice to have something you're really into."

She closes her book. "It's no big deal... I only draw because I like to."

"Oh, yeah?" That's a little weird, but.. those goth lolita chicks always kinda are, huh? "..Still, I'd like to see it when you're done, okay?"

He gives a wave, and soon makes his way back to the train station, unaware of her watching gaze on his back.

* * *

 _August 27th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"Aragaki."

Shaggy brown locks turn in surprise at the sudden voice, and dark eyes meet his own. He relaxes considerably– now that he thinks about it, there's only two people who call him plain old ' _Aragaki_ ', Kirijo and Arisato. The shorter head of blue makes its way over to the counter, his space inside of the small kitchen seemingly invaded, and quietly sits down, watching him with a hawk like eye.

"Arisato." This kid was hard to read. Sure, compared to what he'd been when they had met earlier in the year, the kid he was with now was definitely different, so much that he would've thought they were two different people. This kid smiled, and even laughed and made fun of him a little. It was a genuine shock to see how much he'd changed over such a short amount of time. "...What is it?"

"What're you doing?" Like a curious child, he leans over the counter to check what the elder is doing. "Cooking?"

His eyes take notice of the dusty pink apron that Shinjiro is currently wearing, and a snicker leaves his lips.

"That was yours?" He leans back on the stool, his nose twitching slightly. "What're you making?"

"...Chicken stir-fry. I was gonna leave it in the fridge."

A hum leaves the others lips, seemingly satisfied with that answer, and they're back to silence. So, he continues to go about his work, dicing vegetables with needle precision. He was sort of glad in a way, to be back inside of the dorm. Course, he was only here because SEES decided to recruit Amada, but it wasn't so bad..  
He was already going to go out anyway, he may as well help get rid of the Dark Hour while he's at it.

He'd work a little faster at his cooking, if he didn't have a set of blue eyes watching his every movement. A click of his tongue, he turns towards the field leader with a growl in his throat.

"What do you want."

"I'm studying you. I'm supposed to come up with strategies and keep everyone alive. I can't do that if I don't know everyone." Minato states it so plainly, like it's not odd to just stare. "Over the past few days, I've noticed.. You wear bulky winter clothing no matter what, despite the heat. You refuse to take it off, even though you're currently working with food that creates steam whilst boiling the rice. You pretend to hate everyone and act like you don't care, but you actually are a rather kind-hearted soul who likes dogs. Am I wrong?"

Damn, this kid works fast. And that was... probably the longest he's ever heard him speak for. And it's a little creepy how much he knows.. He opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off.

"...Most of this I know just because we blackmailed you." Shit, right.. _That_ happened. The boy sneaks a hand over the counter, ready to pinch some of the food, when it's slapped away.

"Don't try it, idiot. It ain't edible, it's not cooked." Did nobody in this dorm have manners?

"Ah, I see." There's a slight frown on the boy's face, and he sighs.

"Don't give me that." He rolls his eyes. "What did you want to know. Battle info?"

The boy's face lightens a little, though it's more in his eyes than in his actual expression. "That'll do."

"Let's see..."

He spends most of his time cooking telling the junior about his Persona's battle capabilities, and his own limits. He leaves out anything related to _those people_ , considering it wasn't really necessary information for the other to know about. Arisato mutters something about coming down to talk again sometime, and he leaves for his room with a wave.

What a weird kid.

* * *

 _August 31st, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Junpei's found himself coming to Tatsumi Port Station a lot, these days. He's been coming hoping to catch a glimpse of the elusive gothic lolita he'd met twice now, and today, she's finally here again.

"So, we meet again, huh?"

"That's because you keep coming back."

"I'm Junpei." He introduces himself finally, with a wide grin and a hand out in greeting. "What's your name? You live around here?"

She remains silent, her pencils scratching rhythmically over her sketchbook instead of speaking back. He groans; he's used to the silent treatment from girls.

"Fine, fine, ignore me. I'm used to it..." He pulls his hand back, and that's when he notices a different red stain. It's not from her book, but it comes right from her hand. And it's liquid. "Hey, wait! Your hand! What's with that cut!? You're bleeding!"

It's a pretty ugly cut, now that he looks at it. He snatches her hand without even thinking, worry painting his face. He's only met this girl a few times, but he can't help but be curious about her. She had this air of mystery and intrigue, and she was super cute to boot. Nobody could blame him, right?

The blood drips from her wrist to the ground, dotting the pavement like little rain droplets. But she seems rather upset by his worry, as she narrows her eyes and finally snaps at him.

"What is it with you!? Why don't you mind your own business!?" Her voice being raised freaks him out a little, but he can't let this go.

"But you're bleeding, for cryin' out loud! I think I got a hanky here..." He digs through his pockets, looking for his handkerchief. Once he pulls it out, he snaps back at her. "Gimme your hand so I can tie this over the wound!"

"Why are you in such a panic?"

"Are you crazy? Anyone would freak out over this." His hands are clumsy, but he manages to tie a little knot in the handkerchief he's wrapped around the girl's small wrist. She's pretty thin, and fairly pale... Does she eat right? He can't help but feel worried. "You need to see a doctor. You want me to go with you?"

She stares at him in silence, but a small smile cracks on her face. "You're weird... Chidori."

"Huh?"

"That's my name. You asked, right, Junpei?" She looks back down at her book. "I'm almost done with the picture. I doubt you'll understand it, but if you want to see it, then you know where to find me."

She begins to pack up her things, and leaves him alone without another thought, or even a look back.

And he's a little stunned.

* * *

why are all the p3 boys top tier boyfriend material?

i hate this chapter... it feels a little.. shittier than my other chapters,  
sorry y'all...

also chapters a bit short sorry y'all..  
today was a bit of a bad day for me.

its mothers day, and its my dads first mothers day without his mum,  
so he was very emotional all day.  
i havent had a therapist to go to in several months,  
so i've been holding in a lot of my emotions because i dont want to bother my parents who,  
in my opinion,  
shouldnt have to comfort me when theyre suffering the most  
so i've just been sort of... mulling over it all day and pretending im All Good.

anyway! this was all ship trash im sorry y'all ..  
answering some reviews!

aaa is okay! u dont need to review every chapter im just glad to know u enjoy them!  
kotone is the biggest worried mama on earth  
i love my sweet daughter shes a team mom in the making  
this chapter was rather junpei heavy, but i hope the splash of other stuff i put in there was ok!

and ,, as for minato being paired off?  
he is.. im just wonderin whether or not there'll be discourse over my choice lol  
there'll be discourse over plenty of my choices later in this fic considering...  
i kno exactly what im doing with certain characters.. LMAO have fun with that

anyway i hope y'all enjoyed the chapter!


	32. sweets (chapter 31)

HOO BOY SORRY Y'ALL FOR VENTING LAST CHAPTER  
BACK ON TO UR SCHEDULED CHAPTER!

* * *

 _September 1st, 2009._  
 _After School._

"Oh, you're back. Perfect timing."

Minato and Junpei are greeted by a cheery looking Yukari as they walk through the dormitory doors, who peers at them with a grin over the back of the couch. By her side, Kotone waves at the boys with equal enthusiasm, clearly trying to get them to join the two girls in the living room. With a look, the pair make their way over, dropping their school bags by the chairs and sitting down with confusion in their eyes.

"Perfect timing...? For what?" The taller boy asks, an eyebrow raised.

"Hey, Fuuka, is Aigis ready?"

In response, Fuuka and Aigis walk in, with the blonde mechanical maiden dressed up in their school's uniform. The long sleeves of the winter uniform covered up any remotely 'unhuman' parts of the girl, to the point where she looked like any other high schooler, albeit one with slightly more 'foreign' looking features.

His sister does jazz hands at the sigh, a grin on her lips. "Ta-da!"

"H-How does she look?" The mission control asks, fiddling with the robot's sleeves.

"This is how I look."

"...Winter clothes already?" He blinks his eyes for a few moments. She'd been dressed up in normal clothing the other week for the festival, but now that she was in a school uniform, it felt a little weird to see normal joints instead of those robotic connections she had.

"Wh– That's not the important part! What're you guys thinking, dressing her up in a uniform like that!?"

"She said she wanted to go to school, so I said something to Kirijo-senpai as a joke... But, the Chairman overheard and thought it was a good idea. So as of tomorrow, she'll be a junior." The brunette shrugs, her words plain and simple.

"Seriously!? He's down with that?"

"He said something about studying her behaviour in a social environment..." The shortest girl mumbles, her blue eyes turning towards the robot in question.

"Well, as far as I'm concerned, it's a great idea..." Iori snickers. "Just look how cute she is in that uniform!"

"The camouflage Fuuka-san has provided me with seems to be the appropriate size."

Ken approaches, a smile on his face. "It looks very natural on you; nobody will suspect a thing. But, why does he want you to go to school? It's not like there's anything special about it."

"With the commencement of the second semester, I intend to synchronise my schedule with the other members'. If I were to stay here on standby, it could delay our deployment." She turns towards the head of blue. "Therefore, I request to accompany our squad leader."

"Delay our deployment? Won't you going to school create more problems?" Yukari snorts.

"I will make any necessary adjustments as problems arise."

"Uh... yeah, you do that."

Koromaru barks.

"He said 'I want to go to school, too'."

"I'm sorry, Koro-chan... You have to stay here." Kotone gives the dog a ruffle around the collar, an apologetic look on her face. She feels bad for the little guy, it seems.. He's the sort who's so cute that he can get his way.

He whimpers, and returns to his spot by the television.

* * *

 _September 2nd, 2009._  
 _Morning._

Inside of Class 2-F at Gekkoukan High School, the students buzz with gossip over the news of another new transfer student. The school had just received two earlier this year, and now their class was gaining another one. The teacher, a tired looking woman in a pink suit, quickly works to pipe the class down so she's able to speak.

"Class, we have a new transfer student who will be joining us. She just transferred here." She turns towards the door, and it slides open, with Aigis walking in to stand beside the teacher. "Please, introduce yourself."

On the chalkboard behind her, Aigis quickly writes her name down, analysing each katakana to make sure that she's written it correctly. "My name is Aigis. It's such a pleasure to meet you all."

"Aigis... What a strange name. I wonder if she was born overseas." Ms. Toriumi looks down at her board, going through the records she has been provided with. "Let's see... items of note... a humanoid tactical weapon?"

Immediately, Yukari's hand shoots up, a mix of horror and desperation in her voice.

"Miss! You should assign Aigis her seat!"

"Oh, that's right." She begins to look over the class for an empty seat, but is stopped in her tracks as the blonde makes her way to the seat beside Minato– empty due to an absent student. She sits down, and stares directly at the teacher, as though she's awaiting other orders.

"I would like to have this seat."

Junpei leans over his chair, trying to look at the girl from his seat; on the other side of their field leader. "That belongs to someone who happens to be absent today.."

The teacher huffs.

"That's the same as not being here. Right then, that can be your seat, Aigis."

"I am grateful. Because the my highest priority is for me is to always be near this person."

Yukari flips around in her seat, practically screaming. "Hey, Aigis!"

"What is it?" The sheer naivety to the words coming out of her mouth was insane..

"Huh? Why is Takeba-san so upset?"

"Ohh! Could this be a love triangle?"

The girls went wild, all excitedly giggling and going on asking about whether or not that was real. They could probably be heard from the class over, which meant that eventually, the gossip about the school's brand new 'love triangle' will spread..

"Hey, it's not like that!"

* * *

 _September 2nd, 2009._  
 _Afternoon._

Shinjiro makes his way to an empty area– just like his other hang out spots, it's a place that only the shadiest of humans in Iwatodai tended to visit. At this time of day though, it was practically empty. His heart was pounding so loudly, he could hear it ringing in his ears. His body too, everyone commented on how he must be boiling in the heat wearing what he wore, but he could no longer feel it. His body couldn't regulate it's temperature anymore..  
It was that drug's fault, but he had no other choice now.

His chest hurts.

Damn that Castor!

There's that god awful glass smashing sound, and he can feel the ghost of his Persona behind him, poised and ready for another attempted murder. His hands are a shaking mess, with each movement he can feel the sweat beading at his forehead drip down, and he reaches into one of the deep pockets of his peacoat, searching for the bottle with a desperation. He finds it, and can barely get the small pills out of the bottle to swallow down.

"Don't try... to come out on your own!"

He can barely breath as the monster of his psyche disappears with a clash, and he wants to drop to his knees.

..He has to keep fighting.

* * *

 _September 3rd, 2009._  
 _After School._

She and Junpei make their way down the strip mall's streets after school, a small chatter between the two as they walk in tandem. It seems to have become a tradition of sorts, for her to come to this place after school with the male member's of SEES in order to catch something to eat. She wondered what it was about the food here... If she were able to make food that they enjoyed at the dorm as much as they liked the food that was cooked here, then it would be a lot cheaper for them in the long run, even with the Kirijo Group's heiress funding basically everything.

"What do you wanna eat?"

She purses her lips, letting him wait for a moment before loudly exclaiming her answer. "Ramen!"

"Me too!"

The two make their way over to the ramen shop, when she catches sight of a stumbling older gentleman. At the sight, she can see Junpei tense up beside her, and she can hear a slight click of disapproval leave his lips. Is this man... drunk?

"Is he okay?"

"Leave him be. He's probably just drunk, the old geezer." He says the last bit rather loudly– as if he's trying to have the man hear him.

The man definitely notices, and wobbles his way over with a growl at his tone, going on and on about how he's picking a fight. As he nears the duo, she can smell the alcohol coming off of him, it's a strong and pungent scent that's hard to forget, and it clings to this businessman like a cheap cologne.

"Fuck off."

"Hey, hey, hey! Junpei-kun," She grabs him by the arm, and with a bow of her head, she begins to drag him away from the man. "Let's just go."

He exhales deeply, his nerves running hot and his temper raised to a peak. Once they enter the shop and order their food, they sit in what basically was silence between the two, and all she could do was silently slurp up her noodles until he spoke up.

"...You... don't have any parents, right?" She looks up in surprise, and tilts her head in confusion. "This may be.. rude.. but.. I envy you. Some kids would be better off without their parents."

She swallows down the ramen, acutely aware of how thick the food was. "...Like you?"

He shrugs.

With the air even more awkward, they continue to eat in silence, but for some reason, her normally delicious bowl of ramen tasted so much oilier than it normally did. She even picked off a few of the sides she'd ordered with it; a rarity from her, considering her appetite.

"My dad," He begins, and she immediately focuses on his words. "He was always drinking. And he'd get violent over the stupidest shit.. No matter what it was, I used to get the usual, spank on the backside or on my wrist, but.. For a kid, that's rough, y'know? After a few years, he'd just get slower and slower, and his hits wouldn't hurt as much as they used to.."

Her hand reaches out, and she briefly considers touching his hand, but decides to give him a pat on the shoulder in stead.

"..You shouldn't.. have gone through something like that."

He takes a deep breath, and nods his head. "Sorry for bringing down the atmosphere. Let's just go home."

* * *

 _September 4th, 2009._  
 _After School._

On Junpei's way back home from school, he once again stops by Tatsumi Port Island Station, excitement in his eyes. He spots the familiar white dress and red locks of his new acquaintance, and he approaches with a smile.

"Yo, Chidori. How's your hand?"

She remains silent for a moment, and lifts up her hand simply. There's nothing there, not even a scar.

"I don't see anything.. not even a scar.. Did it heal that quickly?"

Her quietness continues, but she looks away from the teen and begins to speak. "Hey, Junpei... What do you do to make yourself feel alive?"

"Uh, I dunno... Breathing, I guess?" He chuckles, but soon realises something. "Y'know, I've never really thought about it before. How 'bout you, Chidori? Is that why you draw?"

"Maybe... but, most of these are just scribbles... I don't understand myself very well."

"I see." He takes a seat beside her, and his eyes follow the white clouds in the sky. "To tell you the truth, there is one thing that makes me feel alive... When I get to play hero. In the darkest hour, unknown to all but few, the chosen ones stand against the forces of evil! Our hero, Junpei, fights to protect the world from these terrifying monsters! Hehe... Well, you get the idea. That's when I feel most alive!"

She remains silent, and he begins to feel a little self-conscious.

"Um.. you're supposed to laugh."

"So... do you fight all alone?"

"H-Hey, I was just kiddin' around.."

"You fight during a time that no one knows about, right? So then, no one knows what you've been doing, either. That means you'll never receive any recognition." She smiles, and he can feel his heart skip a beat. "..I'm impressed. I didn't know you're that kind of guy."

"..Forreal? You actually believe me?"

"Tell me more.."

"You really want to know?" He asks, disbelieving what she's saying. "...Okay, but you can't tell anyone!"

"Mmhm."

"Y'see, there's this special power called 'Persona', and only those who have it can defeat the monsters. That's what I meant by 'the chosen ones'. My friends are fighting too... And ever since I joined 'em, we've been kicking some serious ass!"

"Sounds like fun." She leans forward, her smile like a seraph's. "Are you the leader? Because it sounds like you're pretty strong."

He... can't believe she believes him.

"Y-Yeah! I-I guess you could say that." He shrugs, tilting his hat with a pretend sigh. "I mean, without me, things would just fall apart. Someone's gotta be in charge, after all. It's pretty tough being a leader."

Her silence returns, and she finally stands up from her seat. "Thank you, Junpei... I had fun today."

He blushes.

"Y-You did?"

"It's time for me to go. I'll see you tomorrow, right?" She gives a small wave, and leaves him be.

He's really excited for tomorrow.

* * *

 _September 4th, 2009._  
 _After School._

She's super excited! Sanada-senpai had stopped by her classroom at lunch today, asking her to meet him after school.. That was a little embarrassing, actually. Heaps of girls kept asking her what was going on, and she wasn't left alone at all until she left the class. It looks like he's taking her somewhere to eat again, though despite it being in the same location they always went to, he didn't take her to Hagakure or Umiushi's like always. Instead, they walk right past, and over to the Sweets Shop..

"I heard this place is popular." He takes a look through the windows, and freezes up a little. "A-Are guys allowed to go in there..?"

She takes a look inside; it's filled almost entirely with women, particularly girls from their school. She giggles, and gives a soft nod of her head.

"It's completely okay."

"I-I see. Then.. let's go." He seems rather determined. She can't help but wonder why he's taken her here..

They enter the shop, and her eyes sparkle at the selection of items they had. Even from over the counter, she can see a wide variety of sweets and desserts to be eaten, and she can feel her mouth water with excitement. He makes his way over to a table, and she follows suit– trying to ignore the occasional stare from girls in their uniform. It made her a little uncomfortable, the prickle at the back of her neck like someone's watching her, but it's become almost background noise when she went somewhere with her overly popular senpai.

She pulls out a menu from the little spot on the table, and begins to go through it with the older teen, sliding her finger down the selections until they finally decide to share a slice of strawberry cake. The bright pink slice is bought out to them by a cutely dressed waitress, and she takes a spoon and cuts herself off a small part of the cake, stuffing it into her mouth with a smile.

It melts in her mouth. "Senpai, you gotta have some!"

Without a second thought, she cuts off another small bit and holds the spoon out for him, and he looks at it with a red blush dusting his cheeks. For a moment, she's left holding the spoon mid air, confusion on her face as to why he doesn't try some, but he soon leans down and takes the dessert from the spoon, hiding his face from her as he chews.

"It's good, right?"

He nods slowly as he swallows down the sweet cake.

They continue sharing the cake, chattering about the operation coming up with a light rhythm until the entire cake is gone. He insists on paying for her, and the two exit the shop, all while Kotone's grinning ear to ear.

But.. he seems a little less.. enthusiastic. "That was rather sweet..."

"Did... Did you not like it?" She suddenly feels a little guilty. Her face drops, and she looks at her hands, now fiddling with her skirt in an attempt to distract her.

"Oh.. I mean, I don't hate having sweets.." He scratches his neck. "But I don't really have them that often, so I was surprised at how sugary it was."

His embarrassment is palpable, and she can see that familiar tint of blush make its way from his cheeks down to his neck.

"And... it seemed like you like eating sweet things, so.." It takes her a moment, but she finally remembers what she had said during the trip to Yakushima. She did mention she wanted to eat something sweet next time they went out, and he did say it would be on him... No wonder he insisted on taking her here and paying for her. She's surprised he remembered.

"...Still, it was like having a lump of pure sugar in my mouth.. Takeba sometimes gives me sweet snacks once in a while." She smiles– that sounds like Yukari. "She'll say that she'd be screwed if she eats any more, then shove them at me... But, that's not important right now. Um... Are you still hungry? Want to get some real food? It doesn't have to be something sweet..."

She opens her mouth to respond, when there's a sudden squeal-like voice that cuts her off. "Oh, Sanada-senpai!"

The two turn, and she's surprised to see the two girls from the other day... Though, it was more like a month or two ago now, wasn't it? One of the girls– the easiest to remember thanks to her cakey makeup– speaks with an excitement that's almost intimidating.

"Omigosh, I'm like, so jazzed to run into you here again!"

"Say, why are you here with Junpei's girlfriend?" The girl with twin buns asks, and then turns towards Kotone with a scowl. "Like, stop stealing all the single guys when you've already got one yourself!"

She feels like shrinking behind Sanada-senpai.. These two have glares with the intensity of a thousand suns... She'd feel less in danger if she was standing face to face with a pair of Full Moon Shadows..

"I'm not Junpei-kun's girlfriend."

"Huh? Who asked you?" Bun-girl scoffs.

Akihiko remains silent for a moment, but speaks up after the girl says her piece. "As you can see, I'm here with Kotone right now. We'll have to talk some other time. Let's go, Kotone."

He takes her by the hand, and begins to lead her away from the area.

"Huh? Hey..!" Cakey-makeup cries out, reaching her hand out as the two walk away, and her friend continues to glare daggers at her back.

...He takes her all the way back to the dormitory, in almost complete silence, and all she can focus on is his gloved hand engulfing her own. She's never really thought about it before, but guys have really large hands, huh..? But Sanada-senpai has an awfully powerful grip strength, most likely the creation of his years of boxing, and her hand is definitely starting to turn red by the time they reach the dorm steps.

"..Oh, sorry. Did I hurt your hand?" He lets go, concern in his eyes.

"It's fine, senpai." It's a little sore, but it's not too bad.

"...Sorry about what happened back there."

"It's not your fault, senpai.." She can't blame it on him, since it's her fault for not going around denying the rumours. She hadn't exactly.. heard them all, until he'd pointed it out over their trip. And when they returned back, she had completely forgotten..

"I'm glad to hear you say that." He sighs, and takes a seat on the front steps. She slowly sits beside him, and lets him talk. "All this about me showing off and taking someone else's girlfriend... There are people in my class saying things about me, too.."

He looks a little relieved at her words, though. He's been going through a lot since the second semester started back up, huh.. She wants to apologise somehow.. But how does she apologise? She'll have to come up with a way once they're back inside..

"I had fun today. It's nice to eat sweet things once in a while." He pauses, for only a moment, before turning his gaze back onto her. "Say, aren't you in the cooking club? Maybe you could make me something sweet sometime."

That's it! She can cook him something!

"Like... Pancakes sounds good."

She tilts her head, curious to his choice. "Pancakes?"

"..I like them." He laughs. "Does that seem like the kind of food I wouldn't like?"

Despite his laughter, it's the sort that's self-depreciating. She doesn't like hearing that from him..

"I'll make you some." She nods her head, almost determined. "Whenever you'd like some, just come and tell me."

"Alright then."

* * *

SCREE! next chapter's a full moon operation,,  
this is the part of the game where everything happens so fast  
so lets hope i can squeeze a bunch of shit in while it still feels somewhat natural lmao!

review answering time!  
yes! they make the nicest stuff.. i lov military aki too  
and. minato's gay. also, mitsuru's gay.  
ever since i had this fic drafted it was my plan to have those two be gay  
they're very much closeted, but they still gay.  
is what i meant by discourse on my choices lol.  
i love them too! i guess thats why im writing one, haha... they're just fun to think abt  
and thank u very much! today was a bit of a downer as well, but we're getting thru it!

yes yes! i love domestic stuff too! its my favourite thing to write..  
im glad u enjoyed the chapter!

anywho! i hope this chapter was good!


	33. electricity (chapter 32)

last chapter the dates in the last two parts were wrong  
so i updated that part  
it was the 4/9 and this part is 5/9  
sorry

* * *

 _September 5th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Out front the dormitory, Junpei sits in disappointment. That girl– Chidori, wasn't at the station today... He's not really sure whether or not he should go back and check again.. It's getting pretty dark and he sort of doubts a cute girl like her would stay around once the sun set.. Then again, she was a kinda dark girl, considering she went for the whole goth lolita style.

He shouldn't leave, on second thought. They have an operation tonight, after all. And now that he thinks about it, they're all fighting for her as well. _**He's**_ fighting to protect her.. That's awesome. It's like he really is the hero he claimed to be, just to impress her.

He pumps a hand up.

"Don't move!"

"Huh?" That's such a familiar voice.. Wait a second. "That voice.."

He feels cold metal against his neck, and he's dragged off somewhere by the familiar person; in nothing but disbelief.

* * *

 _September 5th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

They couldn't find Junpei.  
His backpack wasn't at the dorm, which meant he had never come home today. She had hoped, and prayed, that he'd turn up before the Dark Hour began, but here they were at Paulownia Mall without him. He didn't have his sword, and he didn't have his Evoker. He was unarmed, and in potential danger.  
Thinking that one of her friends could be in a situation like that... worries her beyond belief.

Fuuka couldn't find him either. It was her speciality to find things, it was how she felt useful in their group, but no matter what she did, she couldn't feel out his life energy whatsoever. It was like he had dropped off the planet, like he was a dead body. And the idea of one of their members being dead, one of her new family dying on her, terrified her to the core. It shook her up so badly, she could barely focus on the mission at hand.

She wanted to stay back at the dorm and wait for him.  
But she couldn't.  
So she had joined the rest of the group, and could only pray for his safety.

"Detect anything?"

Mitsuru's commanding voice rings around the empty mall, it's normally cheerful atmosphere gone in exchange for something out of a B grade horror movie. If Junpei was here, he'd probably make a dumb joke about it, and lighten the atmosphere, but he wasn't.

 _"Only a faint presence... It seems so close, but.. why!?"_

"Alright, let's split up and search for it. There's no time to lose; hurry!"

 _"Wait! Please, give me a moment! This is **my** responsibility!"_ Fuuka's eyes close, and she clearly begins to concentrate deeply. Despite Lucia's protection around the girl, there was almost a breeze like aura that left the Persona as it's abilities were pushed to the absolute limit. _"Tell me, Lucia... What is this thing that deceives me..? Hear the wind's answer in your ear... Touch the earth's answer with your fingertips.. Taste the water's answer on your lips.."_

Her mantra was almost poetic, in a way. But Sanada-senpai leaned down to her, a concerned expression in his face. "Hey, is she okay..?"

She shrugs. It was beautiful to listen to, in a sort of strange way.

"Don't break her concentration." Kirijo-senpai scolds.

 _"...Right beneath our feet... Some kind of... webbing..?"_

Aigis speaks up. "Perhaps it has something to do with the old power cables underground. They were just left there when the island's construction was completed."

"Power cables?"

"Yes, they run underground in many directions, like a web."

"And they're interfering with her ability?" Akihiko can't quite get it, and neither can she, to be frank.

 _"...Thank you, Aigis. I understand now. Interference isn't the problem... The cables themselves have been possessed by the Shadow!"_

Yukari looks as though she's about to do a spit take. "They what..!?"

She begins to look around, under her feet to the marble stone flooring, a mix of shock and horror on her face.

"So... It's underneath this whole area!?"

"...Now it all makes sense." Oh, she gets it. The Shadow's all around them, that's why it's coming up weird to Lucia and Fuuka. It's like they're standing right on top of it, as well as being completely surrounded by it.

"H-How are we supposed to beat something like that?!"

Aragaki-san clicks his tongue, and Minato begins to analyse the mall for the place the Shadow has made itself at home in.  
They were in for a rough battle tonight.

* * *

Chidori pushes Junpei onto the ground, and there's a rustle of his uniform and the clanging of the chains mixed with his pained groan. They're tight around his arms, digging into his skin as an uncomfortable reminder that he's been deceived.

"I can't believe how easy it was to sneak up on you. Are the others here just as oblivious?" There's a scorn in her tone he's never heard, and he feels like he's becoming torn in two. He had trusted her, and she believed every word he had said and listened to him, unlike anyone else ever did. She truly believed he was a hero and yet... Was it all truly just a lie?

"Dammit.. I can't use my power.." He glares at her from the cold concrete, his face pressed against scorched ground. "This isn't funny.. Chidori."

"I want you to do something for me." She approaches with slow steps, her hands swinging a chained axe like a plaything. "I have new orders for you to give your friends... Surely you have the capacity to communicate with them."

"Me? Give orders?"

"If you do what I say... you won't be harmed. All you have to do is call off the mission. Easy, right?" She kneels down, and stares him dead in the eyes. "And not just the one tonight. All of them."

"You want me to cancel the mission? You're... you're not one of 'them', are you?"

"Quit wasting time."

He doesn't want to believe this...

* * *

Mitsuru paces back and forth, her face contorted in a worried mix of thoughts. She was clearly going through all their choices, but couldn't seem to find the right one for what their current situation was... And Minato couldn't find the answer yet either. Everything that they seemed to come up with wasn't doable, not without causing serious damage.

"This is a problem... We have no means of attacking it.."

 _"In your notes from previous battles, it said there was a Shadow that took control of the monorail. Just like that one, this Shadow must have it's own body."_ She clasps her hands together, her eyes closing again. _"Let me see if I can find it.."_

"Fuuka..."

It's so inspiring, to see how strong Fuuka-chan's gotten in such a short amount of time. She was so serious about her position as SEES' support, she dedicated so much of her time and worked so hard to become the very best at the job she had been given. It was incredible. She needed to do better as well.  
Sweat poured down the smaller girl's forehead, and her body quivered as she pushed herself harder and harder.

"Even if we know where it is, we might not be able to get to it.."

"There may still be a way to reach the structure the buried cables feed into."

"We'll see."

She gasps for air, and it takes her a moment to finally catch her breath to speak. _"I found it.. It's close by... In this mall!"_

"In here!?"

 _"It's.. inside a small chamber underground. It's rectangular, so I assume it's man-made."_

Ken raises an eyebrow. "Is it some sort of room..?"

"Wait a minute...!" The group turns towards Aragaki-senpai, almost surprised to hear him contribute. "I overheard the manager of Escapade.. He was saying the power's been acting up lately.. There was a power outage that caused him to cancel some big, important event."

"That's no surprise.."

"He said the control panel is located beneath the club. Maybe we should take a look.."

 _"That's it! Oh, but... There's another problem!_ _"_ The group freezes at those words. _"It's sucking up huge amounts of electricity from the cables it's possessed. No doubt, it's probably going to be thrice as powerful as anything else we've faced! It'll probably start discharging all that power once we approach it, so we need to be careful!"_

"Good job, Yamagishi." The girl's Persona leaves, and she receives a pat on the back from Kirijo-senpai. "Alright. Once we're ready, we'll make our move!"

* * *

Four members will face the Shadow directly. One will stay with Fuuka as protection. The other four will find a way to cut off the Shadow's power source.  
Four are distractions. Four are the real threat.

Thunder rumbles throughout the club, making some sort of sickening beat almost to make fun of them. The lightning rains down from the sky, attempting to strike down on anyone in the Shadow's way. It's easily dodged by Shinjiro and Akihiko, the latter making a remark about how it'll have to try harder than that. Not too far from them is Minato and Kotone, the pair putting their absolute trust and teamwork to good use.

As the head of blue bobs and dodges an electrified whip, his auburn haired sister ups his defences to the best of her ability, her Evoker shoved right against her head and the licking flames of her Persona's hair being one of the only non-murderous light sources inside the club. He weaves through sparking cables, aims his summoning tool, and fires.

"Persona!"

Red armour and skin, but the brightest green hair, out comes Koumokuten. It attacks with a vengeance, striking down hard on the monstrous Shadow with it's fists, and it lets out a humongous cry in pain as it shrivels up underneath the attack. It bounces back like a ball, and the pent up electricity it has stored sends a ferocious attack at both the summoned and the summoner.

Minato lets out a shrill, pained hiss as the electricity hits, but mutters something about his Persona being stronger against electric abilities. He quickly regains his footing, and shifts slightly into a more defensive position.

Their job isn't to destroy this thing.  
They're a distraction for the other four, to give them enough time to find where the cables link up and destroy them.

"Yamagishi! How close are the others to destroying the links!?"

 _"Give me a moment!"_ She cries, and they take her pause to dodge more bolts. _"Kirijo-senpai, Yukari-chan, Koro-chan! How far are you all from the cablebox?"_

It takes a moment, but soon, Yukari's voice resounds through like a speaker. _"We're almost there! Koro-chan found two separate diverging cables, so he and Kirijo-senpai went to follow those ones in order to cut them off!"_

"Hurry!"

Akihiko and Shinjiro knock fists, a laugh leaving the heavy clothed man. "This is totally a job for us, huh?"

"Yeah, totally!" The boxer grins.

The Shadow suddenly stops it's movement. They must've cut off all it's power. It's practically a miracle, now that the tides have turned they can finish it off. But just as they all think that, the Shadow suddenly sparks back to life, glowing an odd and eerie blue. At first, the group becomes confused, even disorientated with how it can still charge up so much energy, until Akihiko immediately shoves Kotone and Minato behind himself and Shinjiro, his movements rough as he shoves his Evoker to his forehead.

"Polydeuces!"

A terrifying attack, no doubt most of the monstrous electricity the Shadow's been sucking up out of the cables, comes flying for the group, only for it to be forcefully stopped by Sanada's Persona. The attack clearly takes the most out of the senior, as he focuses all of his energy on defending the group.

"Shinji! Arisato! Kotone!"

"Let's finish this." Aragaki summons his own Persona, and it's quickly followed up both of the twins' Personas.

The three attack with all their strength, and the Shadow collapses into a heap of sparking, twitching limbs. It takes a few moments, but finally the Shadow explodes into a stream of black and red substance.  
It's finally over... Thank God.

 _"Are you all alright?"_ There's weak mumbles from the four, and she has a muffled laugh. _"I think I've found Iori-kun. He's back at the dorm, something seems strange.. The Chairman's there too, so he should be okay. But, let's hurry back just in case."_

* * *

He hears a disappointed sigh from Chidori, and he moves his body and head in order to see her face. He really couldn't believe this... She had been so quiet, and interesting to talk to.. but here she was, an axe in her hands and the keys to the chains he was tied up in by her side.  
She'd tricked him.

"...It seems they've completed their mission."

"What!? You can tell!?"

She nods her head. "Yes... Through Medea's eyes."

"Medea?"

"...My friend." No way... but, if she can function normally during the Dark Hour... is she a Persona-user!? No.. if she's one of those 'Strega' assholes, then she definitely is able to summon a Persona. He can't believe this.. This is too much for him.

"Chidori.."

"That's not important. Why didn't you call off the mission?" She turns her deep brown eyes towards him, deeply filled with confusion to his choices. "Is it worth your life? Dying is what people fear most... isn't it?"

"Well, I've never actually given anyone orders before.. They wouldn't listen to me anyway." He groans.. He's gotta own up to what he'd done. "Y'see... I'm not really the one who's in charge."

"So you were lying earlier? Why?" It sounds so awful coming from her mouth.. He really didn't want her to find this out. "..I don't understand."

"Hey... Answer me this: was it all just an act? Us meeting, your wound, the picture... Were you just setting me up?" He asks, his voice weakly begging for an answer. He needs to know. "Now that I think about it, that cut healed pretty quickly.. Haha.. I see how it is.."

"That was..."

The door slams open, and he watches as Kotone, Yukari, Kirijo-senpai and Sanada-san burst onto the rooftop, their eyes widening as they see his current position. Chained up with a sharp weapon at his neck.

Mitsuru gasps. "A Persona-user!?"

"Tch.. They're back already?!" She pulls out an Evoker, and places it underneath her chin. She smiles softly, and prepares to pull the trigger. "Medea, come..."

"Chidori, stop!" He pulls himself up off the ground, and tackles her back down, causing her to drop the Evoker. He hates having to hurt her, but at this point, there's no choice. "Senpai, get her gun!"

"No! Give it back!"

Akihiko walks towards the duo, and pulls the glimmering silver gun off the ground with a frown etched on his face. "Sorry, but we can't let you have this."

The other two girls run towards the down pair, with the archer pulling him off of the girl and the naginata-wielder shoving the bladed end of her weapon at the girl's neck, an intimidation tactic as if to dare her to try moving. Yukari pulls the chains off to the best of her abilities, and Junpei quickly wiggles himself out of the rest, his eyes never leaving how cold Chidori's face is.

"Aigis, help Kotone restrain her."

"Understood." The robotic girl moves over quickly, and before the girl can force herself up to claw her Evoker away from the boxing champion, she's tightly bear hugged; and made incapable of moving.

There's so many questions that they have to ask this girl..

* * *

WFOJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJJ  
This chapter was also a little short im steamed out  
its 2am pls i want to sleep...  
there would probably be more to this if i had finished writing it earlier  
but,, i had an appointment i needed to go to so i ended up late

all ur reviews are way too nice to me they really make my heart grow three sizes,,  
by the end of this fic my heart will be whole

anyway i wish i couldve had more stuff in this chapter so  
i'll try to make the next chapter twice as long as an apology!

i hope y'all enjoyed despite it's shorter length!


	34. hospital (chapter 33)

IM REALLY PISSED I HAD HALF OF THIS CHAPTER WRITTEN  
BUT MY COMPUTER FUCKED UP..

* * *

 _August 7th, 2009._  
 _Evening.  
_

"...Everyone's on edge, huh..?"

Deftly working, Kotone's hands continue threading yarn into a small doll, the only thing she can think of that takes her mind off of the current situation. Kirijo-senpai and Sanada-senpai had left earlier to the hospital that they had imprisoned that 'Chidori' girl in, and Yukari-chan and Junpei-kun had taken off after them because he had been bothering everyone about wanting to go see her. They weren't sure what would happen, but she doubts that they'll get anymore answers.  
Yesterday they hadn't gotten anything out of the girl.. She doubts today'll be much different.

Fuuka looks up from her laptop, her eyes filled with concern. "Mm.. There's not much we can do about it, after all.. We just have to wait and hope that they get some answers out of her.. And since none of our senpai's are here, we can't even go to Tartarus to train."

"Where did Minato and Aragaki-senpai go?" She hadn't seen them in a while.. She hadn't seen Ken in a while, either. Since Koromaru wasn't here, she had to presume that the youngest member of their group was taking him for a walk, but that didn't explain the absence of her brother and their other senior.

"Oh, I believe they went out to get something to eat.. I didn't catch all of what Arisato-kun said, but there was something about 'Aragaki owes me'..?" The shorter shrugs. "Maybe we should call and ask if they can bring something back with them.."

"Ah! That sounds like a good idea!" She laughs, and puts her knitting down, in order to pull her phone out. "They're strong boys, they can bring us food back!"

They need to get their minds off of everything going on.

"...Junpei-kun.. really likes that girl, huh?"

"Kotone-chan?" Fuuka looks up, surprise at the sudden words leaving the auburn haired girl "...Does it bother you?"

"No, not in the way you're thinking. I'm just more worried about his mental health, with how our senpai are going about getting info from her." She sighs, her fingers dialling in her brother's number as they speak. "Seeing the girl you like be treated like a prisoner.. He's probably having a go at them right now."

Yamagishi nods her head quietly. "Well.. we can't do anything about it.."

"Let's just cheer him on, then! If he knows we all support him with his relationship with her, maybe it'll help him out!"

She's got to act cheerful while the atmosphere is so dark.  
A Strega member is being treated like a prisoner.  
Everyone's become tense because of how easily she'd taken one of their members captive.  
She doesn't know what's going through Minato's head.

...She presses call.

* * *

"Sorry for bringing you here." Aragaki quickly orders two specials, and sits down at a table, being followed by their leader, who soon sits across from him in what equaled silence for such a busy restaurant. "I don't know that many places to go out to eat."

This was the ramen shop... Hagakure, right? He only knew this place because Kenji liked taking him here whenever they went out. That, and apparently his sister really liked the food here. He didn't mind it, but oilier foods weren't ever his favourite. He didn't mind them, though. They were nice, once in a while. Maybe it was just Kenji's never ending talking that made the food kinda... awkward to eat.

"Why are you apologising?"

"Why? It's... never mind." The taller shrugs. Their food arrives, and he snaps his chopsticks apart. "Well, let's eat."

Blue eyes watch the steam rising from the soup, barely noticing how the senior observes with an eyebrow raised, considering he was acting like he's seeing food for the first time.

"Watch the soup, it's hot." He blows on it, and earns a scowl from Minato. He's not a child, he doesn't need his food to be cooled down for him. He doesn't say a thing, though, and watches as the long haired man takes a bite out of the food, only to hiss out in pain. "Ow.."

He snorts. "Ow?"

"..Forgot I had a cut in my mouth." He raises an eyebrow in confusion. "..It's 'cause Aki punched me. Sheesh, that guy's gotta learn how frickin' heavy a boxing champ punches..."

Damn right he does. On trips in Tartarus, he's been shoved out of the way from attacks, and even punched once or twice by Sanada. He hits like a damn truck, and not like a slow moving truck, like one that's going at top speed and could crush a group of cars that's in it's way. Except, in that analogy, the cars are Shadows.

"What, were you two training?" Sanada definitely wasn't the sort to 'go easy', that was for sure.

Shinjiro laughs. "Hell no. I had given him a lecture on how reckless his fighting style's gotten, and this is what I got in return. Well, we get in fights all the time. Gotta get used to it, leader."

He can hear his sister's little voice in the back of his head, ' _Don't get into fights with Sanada-senpai, please!_ ', but he decides not to say anything like that. That's simply her opinion. It's funnier for him if they start fighting. It was like what happened on the beach. It was funnier for him to watch the two fall over themselves like absolute idiots rather than join in and embarrass himself.

"Alright then."

"Yeah, thanks." A slither of a smile makes it's way onto the older's face, and he can't help but smile himself. That's a nicer face than the one he normally makes. "But, man... you're actually younger than him? Thank God that you're such a reliable leader.. I can't imagine if he were in control again like he was in the past."

Though his tone is mocking, it's clear that he's saying praises. Aragaki was someone he could get along with, in a sort of kindred spirits way. Quiet types who took solace in soft chatter. Sure, they'd come here because of blackmail, but he didn't mind chillin' with someone like this.

"At first, I didn't want... to be leader." Minato mutters, earning a confused look. "Sanada would've been in the leadership role if he wasn't injured at the time. By the time he was better, it was easier for everyone else for me to keep being the leader. By that point, I had decided that... I should fill in that role to the best of my ability."

"Well, y'doing the best you can. Just keep it up and I'll keep followin' you." The shorter nods, and the other winces slightly. "Ow.. Really gotta watch this cut. Huh.. but that reminds me, I cut the inside of my mouth the first time he ever punched me, too. I couldn't eat for a while after that."

"When did that happen?"

"...We were kids. I forget why." Aragaki laughs. "Boys are just like that. But still... This just ain't gonna work... I'll have to wait until it cools down."

He shrugs. "I didn't have many male friends, so I wouldn't know. It was just me and my sister, mostly.. We were fine with just each other."

"Siblings are like that, huh.."

The shorter nods his head in silence, shoving some ramen into his mouth to shut himself up.

* * *

 _August 8th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"Yamagishi, do you sense anything?"

"No.."

Chidori hasn't spoken in two days. She'd barely moved from her spot in the hospital bed, in fact. She seemed very intent on keeping her lips zipped, and it genuinely seemed like they'd be forced to take away more of her belongings until she spoke to them. The senior's had thought that Yamagishi's Persona ability would be of some use, sensing something around the girl, but it hadn't done anything.

Kirijo sighs. "By refusing to speak, you're only hurting yourself. We aren't keeping you here because we hate you; we just want to avoid unnecessary confrontation."

The door slides open, and in walks Iori.

"...How's Chidori?"

Akihiko turns, and scoffs at the younger teen. "Again? what's your obsession, Junpei?"

"Did she say anything?"

"..Not a word." The redhead shoves curls out of her face, stress etching lines into her normally perfect skin.

"Can I just talk to her?"

"Iori... It seems like you're letting your emotions get the best of you. Is everything okay?"

He clenches a fist, and a weak sigh leaves his lips. "Well... not exactly. I know she attacked me, but... I can't stop thinking about her!"

"Iori-kun.."

"Sheesh."

Mitsuru purses her lips in thought, and a silence takes over the room. The only noise is the sound of busy streets outside the windows, and the winds blowing the curtains open. She thinks long and hard, before standing from her seat and giving a small shrug.

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, I suppose. Alright, try and talk to her."

His expression lightens up immediately, and he nods. "Got it!"

He practically runs over to the bedside, and takes a seat on the chair the senior was sitting on only moments prior. His voice and face soften as he leans in towards the girl, worry painted all over his face.

"...You okay?" He's met with silence, but he continues to talk, like he always has. "I'm glad they let you keep your sketchbook.."

He looks down at the open pages, covered in reds and blacks, all creating a vision that he can't see in the white walls and the smell of antiseptic. He laughs, only slightly, only lightly, and gives her a smile.

"You're still drawing pictures, even in the hospital? You really do like to draw, huh?"

She remains quiet, but shoots him a glare. "It doesn't matter."

Fuuka gasps.

"She spoke.."

Chidori lowers her head. "No one else but me can understand my pictures..."

And that's when he notices blood trailing down her arm. Thought there's a bandage wrapped around it, fresh blood seeps out and soaks the fabric, dribbling down her arm slowly once the fabric can't soak it up anymore. It stains the pristine sheets, covering the sleeves of her hospital gown, and drips onto her paper. He grasps for her arm, a mix of fear and horror in her eyes.

"Your arm!"

Sanada clicks his tongue. "Again!? Yamagishi, get a doctor!"

"R-Right away!" She runs off out of the room.

"Why are you bleeding!?" Junpei asks, desperation for answers in his voice.

He gets one, but it's not from who he wants to answer. "She does it to herself. Ugh, I thought I had removed all the sharp objects in here."

"What!? No way, Sanada-san, that's not true, right!?" He turns his gaze towards her, looking for confirmation, but a frown forms when she doesn't speak. Oh... "She... She did this to herself?"

"Apparently, we can't leave her unattended for even one moment." Mitsuru clutches her head, massaging the bridge of her nose. "Fortunately, she heals at an astounding rate..."

"Let go of me!" Chidori cries, yanking her hand away.

"Then, at the station... You did that to yourself?!"

"I never asked for your help. You were the one who misunderstood."

"Well, I want you to stop." His voice begs. "You can't be doing that... It's not right... And I wont let you.."

The redhead sighs, watching as Fuuka walks back in, breathing heavily with something about the doctor on her lips. "The doctor will be here soon. You two should go now."

He frowns, but sighs. "..Yeah."

Junpei leaves, and Chidori watches him right until the door closes behind the two juniors. She turns her gaze back to the two questioning seniors.

"So, you seem to have found your voice."

* * *

 _August 10th, 2009._  
 _After School._

The door to the hospital slides open once more, and in comes Junpei– his mood considerably higher than what it had been the last time he was here. He has a rather full plastic bag in his hands, inside appears to be a book of some kind, and a kit of pencils.

"Yo, Chidorin!"

"..Don't call me that."

"Come on, cheer up.. I bought you a new sketchbook. I thought your old one might be getting full."

"That wasn't necessary, Junpei."

He laughs. "You said my name.. I was worried I'd never hear that again."

The goateed teen takes a seat beside the girl, placing the book and kit on the bed beside her. She quietly slides the things onto her small table, and begins to pick the plastic covering off of the items he had bought for her.

The seniors share a concerned look and sigh, but turn towards the door once it slides open.

Aragaki.

"Any luck?"

"She finally started talking." Mitsuru says. "But... nothing useful, yet."

"Well, that's a start." Akihiko shrugs. He clearly didn't mind Junpei's help as much as the other did. "So, why are **_you_** here?"

Chidori's body convulses, and she loudly screams in pain. The group turns their gazes towards her, and there's a familiar sound of glass smashing. Floating high in the air, grasping at the girl's neck is a glimmering red figure, feminine with long locks. It chokes her tightly, causing her to turn bright red in the face. She clutches at her throat desperately, trying to pull the monster off of her.

"What the hell!? Is it an enemy!?" Sanada stands, and prepares to fight, but is shoved out of the way by Shinjiro.

"Wrong! Get out of the way!" He runs over to the bed, pulls something out of his pocket and jams whatever came out of it into the girl's mouth and forces her to swallow it down. It takes a moment, but she finally begins to relax, her heavy gasps slowing into normal breaths. Junpei cries and cries out her name, and the taller rolls his eyes. "Relax... her Persona just went berserk. It happens."

Kirijo raises an eyebrow. "It... happens?"

"Were you guys not watching at all? You could see for a second that her Persona was strangling her. They're not like us. They can't fully control their Personas." He shoves his hands into his pockets. "That's why they need to take _**suppressants**_... to keep their Personas from killing them."

"Suppressants?! You know about Strega?"

"...You'd be surprised by what you can learn on the streets." He sighs. "I'll give the doc the right pills. The rest is up to you."

He leaves, but is quickly chased after by Akihiko.

"Shinji, wait! Hey!"

Their prisoner slowly begins to open her eyes, her voice weak and soft. "I... I... Junpei?"

"Th-Thank God! I thought you might be.."

"Why do you look so scared? Death is nothing to be afraid of.."

"What are you saying..?"

"Dying just means you don't wake up anymore. That's all."

"Wh-What!? You don't really mean that, do you!?"

"...Junpei?"

"I-I don't want you to die, Chidori!"

"Junpei..."

"Just because you're not afraid doesn't mean no one else is... Did you ever think about how I might feel!?"

She begins to laugh. "You're so weird, Junpei.."

"Ha... look who's talkin'.."

* * *

The boxer runs throughout the streets after his foster brother, having left the hospital in such a rush to get away. He can spot the heavily dressed man up ahead, and he tries to call out to him.

"Hey, wait! Shinji!"

The man stops, and turns around.

"What the hell's going on? Why did you have those pills!?" He looks at his gloved hands, which shake in a mix of anger and fear. "I've heard about those... They're taken to suppress a Persona when the user can't control it. But, the side-effects.."

The other sighs.

"You're not taking them, are you?" No response, and he can feel his blood boiling. "Answer me!"

"I don't owe you anything."

"Tch. The same as always.."

"Save it. I've heard it all before. You think I'm wasting my power... but you're just too thickheaded." Shinjiro growls, shooting daggers at the shorter man. "I'm tired of your damn preaching."

Without even thinking, Akihiko races forward, and slams his fist into the other man's cheek. Aragaki nearly hits the floor– having been hit by surprised by someone as his foster brother, but forces himself to stay on his feet. He can feel his mouth bleeding. Damn it, he's probably opened up the cut from earlier. God, that hurts.

"Don't you get it!? You know the reason! Ten years ago. My sister. The fire." Those words were clearly bringing back memories. Memories of flames licking the air, the crackling of burning wood and the screams of children, both inside the still burning orphanage and outside. No one was louder than Akihiko; who had fought and begged for them to let him go back.

"I wasn't strong enough to save her. They held me back, while she... That's why I try so hard..! We promised, remember!? To become strong enough to do what we think is right.. So, why the drugs? Why didn't you come talk to me?"

"I'm back in the fight now. So let it go."

Gloved hands tightly clasp together, and he looks ready to argue again. But he doesn't. "...And the side effects? Have they started.. showing?"

"There's something I need to take care of. It's something only I can do."

"..Like what?"

"Listen. Don't worry about me. Just do what you think is right."

"Shinji.."

* * *

 _September 11th, 2009._  
 _After School._

The inside of Wild-Duck Burger was crowded, filled to the brim with people on their way home from school. She can spot a few from the middle school portion of their school, and even a few shorter kids wearing the elementary school's uniform. This place really was a popular hang out spot, huh..

"Kotone, there's a table open over here." She snaps her head up, breaking out of her brief moment of thoughts, and quickly rushes over to meet with Sanada-senpai. He had seemed a little.. upset when he'd returned home last night, but when she spoke to him, he only mentioned how they were going to not go back to the hospital, and leave it all up to Junpei.. There was something else there, but she was afraid to ask.

"Man, it's crowded in here. Is there a promotion going on?" He takes a seat across from her, placing their tray of food down in front of the two. "That reminds me, the other day Mitsuru–"

A child's voice rings out through the restaurant, screaming at the top of his lungs. "Noo! I want a milkshake!"

No wonder it was so loud.. He was right beside them. The boy's father seems desperate to hush him up, but the mother begins to yell back.

"You already said you wanted to have juice! You can't have both!"

Her voice raises to an impossible level, as does her son's screaming, and she can feel her ears ring with pain. She begins to pull the red headphones around her neck up above her ears, and leans over the table to her senpai, whispering to him, "I'm going to get something else..."

"Oh... really? Can you get me some coffee while you're up?" He hands over some money. She's rather surprised, he doesn't seem bothered by the commotion at all. She races her way over to the café section of the fast food restaurant, and orders a coffee, and a honey and lemon tea for herself.

It takes some bit for the baristas to make both items, and by the time she returns back with both hot drinks in her hands, the family appears to be getting up to leave. The father scoops his screaming son up, and the family leaves with the child's screaming receding into the distance.

She places his coffee down.  
..She hopes she got it right.

"Thank you." He turns his gaze to the entrance, where she can see the family trying to make their way to their car. "..He was full of energy."

"...He's just a child."

"Then you shouldn't hold it against him that he's acting like one.." He laughs, but it soon dies out and is replaced by a serious expression. "Hey, Kotone... Do you.. think I'm strange?"

She blurts out without even thinking, "You're charming."

His cheeks burn red, and she can feel the heat raise onto her own. Why did she say that!?

"Th-That's not what I asked." He huffs a little, and the duos embarrassment is almost palpable. He traces a line around the coffee cup's edge, looking down into the dark brown liquid. "Sometimes people tell me that I'm a weird guy, or that I act kind of strange... Normally, I wouldn't let that kind of thing get to me... But back in the day.. They'd say I was like that because I didn't have parents."

Her body tenses. Ah, she kind of gets that.  
' _You don't have parents? That's weird! You're weird!_ '... Kids were brutal. They'd go after her brother because of how quiet he had become after the accident, and after her because she had a tough time remembering things in the first few months after it.  
But Sanada-senpai.. he's never had them from the start, right? That's what it's sounding like, to her... Which means.. He never spent time with his mom and dad.. No, rather, he never got to see their faces. He probably doesn't know who they are...

He's opened up to her.

"It's not like I could do anything about that.. That's why.. I wanted to show them that they were wrong." He takes a big gulp of his drink. "That doesn't matter now, though. That all happened back when I was a kid, anyway.. And, I mean, the orphanage wasn't all bad, either."

Orphanage.  
She and her brother probably would've gone to one of those, if her grandma hadn't stepped up.  
And then, after she died... they kept asking if they could stay with other family members until they got fed up.

"Oh, sorry... I don't think I ever told you." He hadn't. He had kept everything about himself locked away from her until now. "I don't have any parents. My sister and I grew up in an orphanage.. My sister's long gone, too."

A sister? Somehow.. that makes a lot of sense, too.  
The way he treated her like she was a child.. Was sort of like something an older brother would do.  
..She doesn't like thinking of herself as a little sister to Sanada-senpai, though... why, though?  
Why does being just a 'little sister'-type bother her?

"That reminds me... you don't have parents either." He sighs. "Sorry. I shouldn't have bought that up.. No, wait.. I think that might be why I wanted you to hear what I had to say about this... Because I think I can depend on you to understand me."

She takes a sip out of her tea, and fiddles with the fries on the tray in front of them. "..I'm kind of... happy you told me that.. I was sort of .. scared, you see? I was worried that you didn't trust me.. I've never had anyone who wasn't my brother that I could rely on like I do now, so I think I've become.. frightened of everyone not liking me, or of me becoming useless.."

"Useless? Kotone, you're not useless."

"..I know.. but we have so many people now, and I'm happy about that, but.. I always worry that I'm not needed anymore." Kotone laughs, and takes another drink. "It's why I keep pushing myself. Why I keep training so hard.. Minato shines so bright in SEES, and I just.. want to shine too. I don't.. want to be left behind."

"We won't leave you behind. We're a team, remember?" He ruffles up her hair. "Sorry for talking about that sort of thing. I'll keep what you told me a secret. I promise."

"Then, me too.. I'll keep yours a secret, too.. What was said here.. It's our little secret, senpai." She places a finger to her lips, and nods her head.

She's glad she could share that with someone.. It was bothering her a lot..

* * *

im dead a little on the inside  
at first i was gonna.. do a new thing for shinjiro/minato but  
i decided against it because fuck that i do NOT have the time for that  
what i do have time for is altering shit to suit characters  
so? sue me.

anyway i was rlly salty last night so i didnt do any writing  
my dance class cancelled last minute and i spent 45 mins in the freezing cold dark  
...waiting for my sister to come back for me

im glad everyones enjoying this so far..  
im glad my subpar writing makes y'all happy  
that aside i believe this chapter is the one to hit 100k!  
wowzers

so! i hope y'all liked this chapter


	35. typhoon (chapter 34)

sees needs a good therapist and also a long break  
and lots of love and hugs and happiness  
that is all

* * *

 _September 12th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"It's just me today." The hospital door slides open with those words, and in walks Junpei– on his lonesome. "...But, they said we can't give you back your Evoker."

"...I wasn't expecting them to. That's why they started watching me in the first place."

"Oh, how's that cut doin'?" He takes his seat by her side like usual, and his eyes flicker over the bandaged wound on her wrist. "...Prolly already healed, huh? ..So, how come you're not drawing today?"

"Does it matter?"

"Well, uh, not really.."

An awkward silence fills the air, and he decides to look anywhere but at her. He needs to kickstart the rhythm they normally have when he comes here.. It takes a little while for that sort of thing to happen, huh? Since she's so quiet.. He grazes his vision over the flowers in a vase by her bedside– dried up and about dead by this point in time. They were once rather pretty, left in the room from before, but now they were brown and paper like.

"Huh, your flowers are all dried up... Must be the heat." He snaps his fingers, as though he's just come up with a master plan, and gives her a wide grin. "Oh, I know. Why don't I go buy you some new flowers?"

She doesn't respond back, and instead, reaches over to the flowers and pulls them out of the vase.

"What's your favourite... kind..." He notices how her eyes are closed and she hums deeply in concentration, her eyebrows twitching slightly. "Chidori? What's the matter?"

There's a soft glow, and suddenly, the once dried up plants became filled with life and colour, a stark difference from their once dead looking appearance. He can't believe what he just saw. She places the flowers back in their vase, and turns to him with a slight confusion in her eyes as to why he's so shocked.

"Huh? The flowers.. Those are cut flowers, right?" He exhales in shock, before laughing. "Wow... how'd you do that!?"

"...I made them healthy again."

"I didn't know your healing powers could do stuff like that! It's like a miracle or something..."

"It's nothing special. You have powers too, don't you?"

"Well, yeah, I guess.. But that's all I've got going for me." He shrugs, and she looks at him with a mixture of clear curiosity, and puzzling confusion. "Without that, I'd be a nobody. I just talk a big game... pretendin' like I'm some kinda hero. But in reality... I don't know what the hell I'm fighting for.. or why I'm here at all.."

"Why... Why are we here..?"

"When I was a kid, I had this crazy dream..."

"...What kind of dream?"

"That one day, I'd grow up to be a pro baseball player... Pretty stupid, huh?" He laughs. "I guess that's part of bein' a kid."

"Is that so..? I don't remember much from my childhood. All I remember is... being surrounded by white."

"Huh?"

"I hate hospitals..."

"Yeah, me too... I'm sorry."

"But, I don't mind that much this time... since you come to see me so often."

"Chidori.." His eyes reach his hands, and he clenches his fists tight. "I... I understand. I won't let you down."

* * *

 _September 12th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

He likes this family restaurant, Wakatsu. It's quiet, and clean, and usually isn't filled to the brim with high schoolers trying to get food while chatting at the top of their lungs. Especially not at this time of night. Aragaki follows in quiet tandem, their footsteps almost perfectly in sync as they make their way to an empty table and get served by a somewhat tired looking waitress.

"You eat here often?"

"Just once in a while."

"I see.." The older man sighs. "It'd be better if Aki ate here, too. That guy isn't getting a balanced intake of nutrients."

Well... he'll have to ask Kotone about that. She did most of the cooking– so long as it wasn't exam time. And he wants to say Sanada is sort of a hypocrite, by this logic.. He's always going on, forcing more food onto his plate and insisting that he's too skinny, when he's not eating properly himself.. He groans.

"I'll ask my sister to force him to eat better. He seems to listen to her." He snorts a little in laughter; she's like a dog trainer.

Aragaki raises an eyebrow. "She cooks?"

"She does nearly all of the cooking in the dormitory, so long as she feels like it." He shrugs. "She's... the only reason most of us have vaguely balanced lunches."

"Most of us?"

"She doesn't make lunch for Kirijo and Sanada. I think she's too embarrassed to ask them if she's allowed."

"Right... Oh, yeah.. About Aki.." The other pinches the bridge of his nose, exhaling deeply before speaking. "In your opinion, do you think he's fighting well?"

"I don't see any problems."

"I see. All right, then. You understand a lot more about fighting than me, after all." He wouldn't say that.. He's just forced himself to become an expert at fighting within such a short span of time. "I'll leave it up to you."

It's still sort of strange– thinking of himself as a leader. He's always been a follower, being dragged by the hand by his sister, doing whatever he's been told to do with a nod of his head.. It was why he was fine with following Kirijo's orders despite the fact they knew nothing. It's how he's always lived his life. Suddenly becoming a 'leader' for everyone threw him in a bit of a tizzy. It had been five months and he wasn't used to it just yet.  
He's working on it, slowly but surely.

"Sorry. I know you're the leader, and I keep stickin' my nose in. It's not that I don't approve of you... That's just how I am." Is Aragaki his mother-in-law? Because in all of the soap operas, that was how they spoke.. "Well, Aki and Kirijo both seem to be more comfortable fighting than when I was around. Back then, we were just fumbling our way through... But your powers look like they're helping out a lot, too."

He picks away the greens in his meal, a mumble in his voice. "I hope so.."

"You aren't confident?" Shinjiro laughs slightly, a gentle smile on his hardened features. "You really are trying hard."

The pair begin to eat, but the older notices how he picks through the vegetables on his plate.

"Eat up. It's gonna get cold." He looks at the menu briefly. "Is everyone getting a well-balanced meal like this..?"

He shrugs instinctively, but shoves a large lump of broccoli into his mouth to shut himself up for the rest of the night.

* * *

 _September 12th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

 **"Hi... It's been a while."** Minato instinctively sits up in his bed. Sitting by his side is Pharos– his little visitor for goodness knows how long now. **"Three seasons have passed since we met... Time goes by so quickly, and so many things change."**

Well, that answers his question of how much time has gone by. He wonders who Pharos really is, though. The little boy who only ever appeared during the Dark Hour, who would give him cryptic hints on events yet to happen, who felt so familiar yet foreign at the same time. The kid wasn't kidding when he went on about them always being together, but he has to wonder... When did they become 'one'?

 **"Yet, some things will always remain the same.. Don't you agree?"** The boy tilts his head curiously, his legs kicking back and forth off the edge of the bedside.

"... That's a hard question."

Laughter. **"I understand completely. No matter how hard we try, there is no way to unravel the future's mysteries..."**

Pharos sighs softly, his fascinatingly coloured eyes watching the ground with an almost upset look on his face. It almost makes Minato upset– seeing a child look so.. depressed hurt him a little. The face reminded him of himself, just a little bit. Yes, it was just like the look he made when he was around this boy's age.. at least physically.

 **"Talking with you has stirred up certain memories... That tower, for instance."** ..Tartarus? He wants to ask about that desperately. Everyone wanted to know about the truth behind Tartarus, what it's purpose was. Sure, they all knew how it was created.. but the reason behind it's existence? Nobody knew. And they all wanted to find out. **"I've been thinking about it lately.."**

Sometimes he wonders what he'll do once they get rid of the Dark Hour. His life was so filled with purpose now that it would feel extremely.. strange without the Dark Hour's existence. It made him a whole human.. Is he supposed to pretend like he never did anything? Does he return to that empty lifestyle he had before? If the Shadows existed outside of the Dark Hour, would it be right for him to ask Kirijo if he could continue helping her with the destruction of them?

That was SEES' purpose, right? They were the _Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad_ , and their main purposes were the exploration of Tartarus, and the elimination of the Dark Hour and Shadows. If they had rid the world of the Dark Hour, all they needed to do was.. get rid of the Shadows.

He'd still have a purpose in life with that, right?

 **"I wonder... Will our relationship stay the same..? Or, will it evolve...?"** d **"No matter what the future holds, you and I will always be friends... That is for certain."**

Another sad smile. He wants to cheer up the little boy, in some way, but all he can do is nod his head in agreement. They'll be friends, he promises. He feels a little weak to this child, to be frank. He's not sure who this child is– a part of his subconscious, or a ghost that haunts the dormitory, but he feels an almost paternal need to keep him happy. It was so weird.

 **"I'll come again. Until then, good night.."** Pharos gives a soft wave, his smile sweet, but so very lonely.

"..Good night, Pharos."

* * *

 _September 18th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

His body is absolutely drenched. The white collared shirt he wore is sticking to his body, see-through from the torrential rain going on outside. There was a typhoon being announced on the news the past couple of days, but he thought he'd be able to get home before the rain got as bad as it is now.  
He's so cold.. His entire body quakes uncontrollably, his hair dark and damp, sticking to his face like tape. His head feels so heavy, too.. He just wants to go to bed.

"You weren't quick enough, huh?"

He looks up from where he's kicking off his soaked shoes, and notices everyone sitting around the lounge. Kotone and Yamagishi were huddled together, wrapped in several towels that made them look less human and more like a burrito, and Takeba had a hairdryer going through her own and Kirijo's hair.

Yamagishi's pale hands attempt to reach for the television remote, but she can barely reach with how cold she seems to be, so Sanada reaches down and turns the volume off for her. "Thank you... Arisato-kun, the typhoon just hit.. It's the biggest one on record, and since it's moving slowly, it'll be around for a while.."

"Yeah, thanks to that, the school festival got canned." Junpei groans. "..Well, setting all that stuff up is a pain, so I don't mind. But it sucks we'll be stuck indoors.. So, how're you gonna spend your break?"

He sneezes. "...What break?"

"Dude, do you love school or something!? Most students started looking forward to winter break a month ago!" He rolls his eyes and turns towards the girls. "What about you, Fuuka?"

"Me? The only thing I plan to do is go to.. the movies.." Fuuka scratches her cheek in embarrassment. Was her plan that bad?

"Ooh, a movie? Is it a date..?"

"It-It's not like that. I'm going with Natsuki-chan. She absolutely loves movies.." Oh.. the former bully? When did they become friends? "But with this typhoon, I don't know if we'll be able to go.."

"What 'bout you, Kocchan? What're you doin' over winter break?"

"Ah.. um.. probably nothing.. I might practice my knitting a bit more, since it'll be getting colder.." She gives a small smile. "I'm a lot better now than I was when I started, see? It's not too complex once you get a hang of it.."

"Man, you girls need to get more plans.." He turns towards Takeba. "How 'bout you, Yukaricchi? Will ya still have practice?"

"..I doubt it. The archery range is outside, so it's most likely cancelled until the storm blows over."

"Same here. This stupid typhoon is gonna mess up my training." He wants to laugh a little.. Is that all Sanada thinks about?

"What about you, Senpai?"

Kirijo sighs. "I haven't decided yet. Besides, what business is it of yours, Iori?"

"Me?" He grins, and he can see Takeba roll her eyes. "Well, I'd be happy to tell you all about my plans.."

"I suspect you will be visiting Chidori-san." Aigis cuts him off. "Although she has stabilised, we cannot release her."

"Man, Ai-chan, you must be psychic!" Junpei gains a rather proud tone. "And you know what? She _**wants**_ me to come! Not to brag or anything... I um, just thought I should check up on her... Ya know, with the storm and all."

Yukari scoffs. "Is that so?"

"..What's up with him?" The boxer asks, seemingly not getting anything that Junpei is going on about. How dense can a man be?

"Um... well.."

"You don't know either?"

Fuuka turns her gaze towards Amada, who had been mostly silent. "Oh yeah! Amada-kun, what are you going to do during the break?"

"Oh.. nothing in particular."

"Come on, you have to be doing something!"

"Well, I'll probably go visit the shrine."

"Dude, you're a kid, not an old man."

"But, that's where I always go." "I.. guess you could say I made a vow.. Anyway, I'm going back to my room. I have a lot of homework to do."

"Oh, okay. Call me if you get stuck."

With that, Ken wanders back up to the second floor. Honestly? Going to bed sounds like a great idea right now..

"..I'm gonna.. go to bed." He begins to wander up the staircase, barely aware of the distance between each step. "Not..feeling so hot."

And when he reaches up stairs, he passes out the second his head hits that soft pillow.

* * *

 _September 19th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

" _ **Senpai!**_ "

A loud scream from upstairs sends a chill down the three seniors' spines, as they all look up from their respective distractions in a mix of shock and terror. What was going on for someone to yell that loudly this early in the morning?! Wait a minute... that voice is..

"Kotone!?" Akihiko practically jumps out of his seat, Mitsuru and Shinjiro following only a little slower up the stairs. They're surprised that the voice is coming from the second floor– the men's floor, and they quickly rush down the hallway to find the final door at the end opened wide, and the pale girl staring at them with her hands shaking. She wasn't dressed in anything that implied she was going to head downstairs after coming into this room, her thin white shirt, small shorts and messy hair a clear sign that she had just gotten out of bed..

So why was she so upset? And why was she in her brother's room?

"Arisato, what's wrong!?" The redhead asks, and the girl quickly points at her brother.

"Mina-Minato he, he... He's burning up a storm!" She cries. "He feels like a fire! And he's drenched in sweat.. I don't know if he got out of his uniform when he came up here.. I don't.. I don't know what to do!"

"Ain't he just sick?" Shinjiro asks, earning a glare.

"Minato doesn't get sick! He's always had such a good immune system! That's why– that's why I'm so worried!" She fiddles with her shirt, needing to occupy her hands. "The last time he was sick, we were both sick! So I don't know how it was handled! I don't know what to do, so I-I called you all.."

Akihiko and Mitsuru share a look, and the woman sighs.

"Arisato.." She places her hands on the girl's shoulder. "You're panicking. Go take a warm bath and calm down, we'll handle it all from here."

Rose coloured eyes shoot from the soft face of her senior, to her brother, her lips quivering before she sighs.

"O-Okay.. I'll do that.. But then, I'll be right back, okay? I can't leave his side.."

"Go ask Takeba if you can use some of her nice products. I'm sure she won't mind."

The younger girl nods her head slowly, and leaves the room, closing the door slightly behind her, and Mitsuru sighs out in relief. Arisato was absolutely horrified over her brother's condition, and it was clouding her thought process. She needed to relax a little.. Wine red curls flick over one shoulder as she turns her gaze to Shinjiro.

"Aragaki, I can trust you to take care of him, right?"

The taller takes a deep breath, and groans. "Yeah."

* * *

 _September 19th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

...His head hurts.

Sapphire coloured eyes weakly open, and he takes notice of how sweaty he is. The bedspread sticks to his skin, as does his deep coloured hair. He moves a hand slowly to brush navy bangs away from his face, but he's stopped by a larger hand.

"Hey, hey. Easy there."

Who..?

"Man, you're still out of it, huh?"

He shifts his head to one side, and only sees a deep shade of red. That voice is too deep to be his sister though... Who is it? He's about to open his mouth to ask, when he feels something cold on his head. And he can't help but feel so grateful. He's not sure exactly what it is.. but it's giving him so much relief.

"Y'didn't eat dinner last night, did'ja?" Is he supposed to respond? He doesn't think he did... He shakes his head slowly. "Alright.. You want some porridge?"

...Food? Wait, there's food for him? His nose is so blocked up, he can't smell a thing.. He quickly nods his head, hurried motions that earn a chuckle from the mystery person. He definitely knows this voice, though... It's someone he doesn't mind helping him out in this moment.  
Well. Wasn't like he had the ability to argue.

"Alright, alright. Careful now, gonna sit you up." He feels an arm snake around him and underneath his armpits, and quickly pull him up a bit so his back's on the wall. He tries to help, using his hands to pull himself up as well. He doesn't know if he was much help though. A small bowl of _okayu_ , rice porridge, is placed down in front of him. Immediately, he takes the spoon that's in the bowl and shoves it into his mouth, and if he could taste the food, it would probably taste fantastic.

Well.. the texture's nice, anyway. "...Thanks.. Aragaki.."

"Oh, he speaks." The senior chuckles slightly. "Once you're finished eating, just place the bowl down on the floor and go back to bed. Whoever's lookin' after you next'll pick it up and take it downstairs."

"Okay.."

He feels a large hand ruffle locks of deep blue, and for some reason, despite the cold item on his forehead, his face feels very hot. "Get some sleep, Arisato."

* * *

yukari is one of those girls who spends heaps of money on high end makeup and lush products  
so shes basically me  
ANYWAY this chapter was fun to write! i decided to take a page outta the drama CDS  
and used the fact shinjiro looks after the male mc while hes sick

i love these idiot kids...  
i know i put a lot of emphasise on kotone but i just..  
she deserves more than what she gets in canon  
i love minato just as equal but its a lot easier for me to write kotone so?  
sorry?

next chapter we'll have more action since we'll be doin some tartarus stuff  
... i have.. big thing plans for next chapter so.. look forward to that..  
i hope i can get it to work write when written.. i'll cry if i fuck it up its an important thing

anyway! i hope y'all enjoyed!


	36. destruction (chapter 35)

y'all probably: why are u spending so much time on the sick episode  
me, an intellectual: its good for domestic shit  
also. i had writers block up the ass this chapter idk what it was i just.. didnt want to write it

* * *

 _September 20th, 2009.  
Morning._

"Well, he ate last night."

She looks up from the dishes she was washing– a mix of shock and relief on her face to Yukari's words. Wandering down the staircase was the girl in question, a bowl in her hands and a small smile etched on her face. The bowl looked absolutely picked clean, not even a silver of porridge left on the porcelain. She's so grateful to Aragaki-senpai, he'd made that practically from scratch after heading out to do some shopping for things to ease off a cold.

"Thank goodness... I was so worried.." Though he doesn't look up from his book, she can see the quiet senior smile slightly. Well, that was the only response she needed to those words. He hadn't acted very worried, but just the fact he went out of his way to make food to help Minato was enough for her.

The archer places the bowl down on beside the sink, earning a small nod of thank you.

"Still, I didn't peg Aragaki-senpai for a cook!" She turns her cheerful eyes onto the brooding man, and continues to speak with a grin. "Guess you really are a softie, huh!"

He growls, and she can see the vague hints of blush on his ears.

"What is it with you kids and callin' me that?"

Kotone laughs a little; this was the sort of atmosphere this dorm needed. Not only did it distract her from how concerned she had been over her brother, but it was definitely a better for them all to be joking around instead of always being dark and constantly serious. She just wished her brother could be downstairs for it all.  
He'd become a lot less closed in recently, it would be good for him to join in on them all messing around again, like he had in Yakushima.

She hopes everyone's able to continue enjoying those peaceful days once the Dark Hour is defeated.

With a flick of her wrists, she rids her wrinkled hands of the soapy water, and slides the bowl into the sink to soak with the rest of the unfinished washing. Maybe she should ask Ikutsuki-san to invest in a dishwasher.. It would make cleaning up after ten people and a dog a lot easier. He probably wouldn't do it, but it would be worth just telling him that they'd need it.

"Oh, right! Aragaki-senpai?" The man looks up, and she gives a smile. "He doesn't seem to mind your food despite how sick he is, so are you willing to make him something later, again? You don't have to, but I just think he likes your food a lot.. so.."

The older's eyes are shadowed over for just a moment, and she can hear a deep sigh leave his lips. But, he nods his head slowly. "Alright, alright."

"Thank you." She pauses, and there's a grin on her face. "Make everyone else some tonight as well!"

* * *

 _September 20th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

... He's been slipping in and out of consciousness all day.  
Well. He thinks he has been, anyway. Being the way he has been messed with his perception of time.

Although, he really wants to get out of his bed and take a nice, long bath, he really can't move. His head feels like a rock- and it hurts to move around. Sure, it's a whole lot better than yesterday, he can nearly breath through his nose, and he's been wanting to go downstairs to get himself something to eat for ages. He wonders if he can even taste it today.

There's a soft knock at the door, and he weakly tries to call out to the person to come on in.

They do; and he's almost surprised to see Aragaki, but vague memories of the kindness he'd shown earlier stops him from being shocked. In his hands is a tray- on top, a bowl and a mug, presumably filled with something meant to help him feel better. He's not really sure what it is, and he's not exactly sure he wants to know.

"Well, y'look better today." The tall man says, and he groans slightly after. "Seriously.. I told that sister of your's that you just had a little cold, but she's been freakin' out for the past two days."

"...Two days...?"

"You passed out on the Eighteenth, today's the Twentieth."

Minato moves his forearms over his eyes, moaning in complaint. He's been in bed for way too long. Normally he would be grateful to be allowed to sleep for as long as he had been, but he only enjoyed it when it was on his own terms. He didn't like being stuck in one spot for so long.

"She heated up milk and honey for you." Ah.. he likes that. The mug is placed on his bedside table, and he takes in the golden colour the milk has taken with a small smile. He really did like this drink. Maybe it was childish; but it always made him feel better. He forces himself onto his side, sitting up in a way that lets his head continue to rest.

He takes a big swig from the mug, and relishes in the slight sweetness that runs down his sore throat. He could taste just enough for him to notice that she's never changed how much honey she puts in the cup. There was only a few times a year she would ever make him this soothing drink- their birthday, and the anniversaries of _that night_ and the funeral. Those days were the only ones he'd let her see how much that incident truly affected him.  
The rest of the year, he dedicated himself to pretending he was alright, and making sure his sister was able to live as normally as she could.

"Chicken soup." He looks up from the cup, and spots the steaming bowl. "Supposedly it helps when you're sick. Oh, and.. Aki's gonna bring you one of those sports drinks he's got tucked in the fridge. Somethin' about it bein' good at replacing the fluids you've lost."

Quickly, Aragaki blows gently on the bowl, the steam shifting slightly with the air, before placing it down in front of the sickly teenager. Well.. it looks good. He's not sure about that 'sports drink' he's going to be bought, but he's very happy with the food and warm milk he's been given.

He smiles up at Shinjiro, who turns a slight shade of red in surprise. "Thanks, Aragaki."

* * *

 _September 21st, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Golden walls and bright lights.

Despite how open and surprisingly warm this section of Tartarus was, somehow it still managed to carry that air of a certain.. darkness. It just felt dangerous in here, and for good reasons. Stronger Shadows had been making a point of showing their faces around corners in this area, and it had caused everyone to be on edge at all times.

Not only that, but their leader was still a feeling a little off. He was a lot better than he had been the day before, but he definitely was in no condition to be getting up and exploring Tartarus like they were right now. The storm had subsided the night before, but to be travelling in Tartarus so soon after an illness was absolutely ridiculous– stupid, even.

Standing in front of the group is a threatening presence, a towering Shadow glimmering with a silvery glow. It resembles a table in some ways, but the pressure it gave off and the way it groaned with each stomp forward made it clear that it was something to not underestimate. With an eerie grin and a flash of it's cold, dead eyes, a mountain of fire spurs out of the ground where Kotone is standing.

"Kotone!" Minato calls out, and begins to run towards her when she's dragged out of the way by Sanada, who moves with speed and reflexes trained in years of boxing. A gloved hand is tight around the thin girl's waist, her hands attempting to grasp her _naginata_ as it drops to the ground in her surprise. Within seconds of realising what he was doing- and where his hands were, he lets go and moves away in an instant, getting back into a battle stance as the fight rages on.

With a mighty swing of his sledgehammer, Shinjiro makes a snarky remark to his foster brother, a slight grin on his face. "Don't get distracted, Aki!"

"I'm not!" The muzzle of his Evoker is placed against his forehead, and there's a smash of glass. With a flash of blue, Polydeuces makes it's appearance, a sway of golden hair it's knife like left hand slams into the chest area of the Shadow, sending it high off into the air. "Amada!"

The small boy runs forward, a scream at the top of his voice as he thrusts his spear forward, right into one of the Shadow's eye holes. It howls in pain, and stumbles backwards on it's four legs, brandishing it's floating swords at the little boy with an unholy growl hanging in the air.

One of the swords goes flying, straight for the small child as he makes an attempt to gain distance. Just as he prepares for it to hit, bracing his body with his spear in a defensive position, he's shocked as there's a smashing sound, and he finds the sword destroyed on the ground in front of him.  
The culprit to it's destruction?  
An ethereal glow, glimmering with every inch of the heavens.

"Just barely safe!" Amada turns his gaze towards the speaker– his saviour, and the only female currently in the party. His cheeks flush a little, it's not very cool of him to have to be saved, is it..? But when the chestnut haired girl gives him a big thumbs up and a smile, he can only smile back. "Keep on your toes, Amada-kun! It's a lot stronger than what we were expecting!"

He nods, and prepares himself once more. "R-Right!"

This was how the team should work. It had taken a number of months, but SEES had finally found a rhythm in it's pattern. Whilst normally team members were chosen based off of skills– he'd decided that team work was more important. He'd spend time working with Takeba and Iori, who, despite their constant bickering, worked incredibly well together. Ideally, he wanted to explore how well Amada and Aragaki could work– and it was easiest to use the people who were the closest to them to find that out.  
In that case, it was simply down to Kotone and Sanada.

He takes his own Evoker in hand, taking a deep breath as he points it to his head. They need to destroy this Shadow. He's tired beyond belief, and this damned Shadow is way more powerful than Yamagishi said it would be. In a way, this felt more like an evil, evil precursor to the next full moon, and he becomes increasingly worried with every ticking second.

Damn it..

"Persona!" Out comes Siegfried, who wields his dragon slaying sword with a dangerous poise as he attempts to attack the Shadow, dealing quite a hit despite how tired he was becoming. He needs to keep fighting. He's not sure why he's fighting. He just needs to keep fighting.

He continues to attack– almost out of necessity.  
He needs to get his head back into this lifestyle.  
Being sick for so long's messed with his head.  
He can't be having doubts.

"Hey, Shinji, what's wrong!?"

"Aragaki-san?!"

His head snaps up from the ground; he hadn't even realised he was watching the sweat drip from his cheeks onto the golden floor, and he's surprised to see Aragaki clench hand-fills of his peacoat, right above his heart and groan in pain. Nobody is exactly sure what's going on, he can only watch in confusion as a magenta figure begins to manifest behind the tall man, and there's the loud whinny as the horseman that is Castor makes it's presence known– without a summon.

There's a menacing glow in the eyes of that 'monster' masquerading as a Persona. If he hadn't watched Aragaki summon Castor in the past, he'd believe that this was another Shadow, come to destroy the small party. With a growl, the dark figure attacks the Shadow with a violence and viciousness so unbefitting of the owner of that Persona; who had only ever been kind, if a little rough around the edges.

It was so hard to believe.

Castor rips and shreds, the horse sending pieces of the Shadow flying all over– and watching those pieces burst into liquid-like black and red, he takes notice of the face Amada is making.  
It's not one a child should be making.

Filled with horror, spite and malice.

And fear.

There's little left of the Shadow, as it's stomped on and crushed underneath monster's weight, and finally, Aragaki's breathing begins to calm. Sanada immediately runs over, Kotone by his side to support the older man up onto his feet. Ken stands there, his body quivering as he holds his spear tight, his eyes shadowed over by his thick bangs. He's never met someone so hard to read, someone who wasn't himself. But in that moment, Minato couldn't read that expression, that **_feeling_** , on the small boy's face.

...They need to get out of here.

* * *

 _September 24th, 2009._  
 _Afternoon._

He hadn't seen Aragaki very much since that night.  
And he's a little worried, to be quite honest.

"Arisato-kun?" He snaps out of it, and turns his gaze to Takeba, who stands there with a broom in her hands. Right.. They were cleaning up after the cancelled school festival.. It hadn't seemed important to him. She sighs. "Well.. let's just split up in groups. One'll take down the pictures, and one'll clean up the decorations."

He purses his lips tight. "...Let's take it easy."

"Indeed, Minato-san is right." Aigis speaks up, her tone as matter-of-fact as always. "Let us devote all our strength to taking it easy."

Despite those words, the group were doing their assigned jobs rather well. Himself and Junpei had been assigned to taking down decorations– almost entirely due to gender and height, instead of competence. Aigis and Yukari were doing quite a good job at putting each photo away into neat little boxes, undoing each tack and placing them inside their own little holder.

"Sucks for the photography club that they took so many pictures and no one got to see any of them..." She stops in front of a particular photo. "Oh! This is the summer fellowship, huh? Wow, it looks like a really nice place they went too.. I heard their was a hot spring."

"I wish to go see a hot spring."

"We'll be going to one soon enough." The taller boy points out.

"Are you talking about the school trip? That's in November... Talk about jumping the gun." The brunette grumbles. "I can't believe we're going to Kyoto.."

"Eh, it's where everyone goes. I really wish they wouldn't make us go to all the shrines and stuff."

There's a set of footsteps approaching, and Tomochika Kenji's voice rings out. "Yeah, seriously."

By his side is Kazushi from the Track Club, and they both seemed to be carrying more cleaning supplies with them. He can't help but feel a little thankful, everything in here is kinda dusty and needs a good clean.. He wouldn't do this normally, but it's seriously setting off his allergies.

"So, Takeba-san. Why don't I show you around Kyoto when we go?"

"How did we jump onto that subject..? Anyways, did you find a nail puller?"

"Yeah, Kazushi bought all of them." The track member smiles proudly at his friend's words.

"You've got a whole bunch to choose from."

She groans. "We just needed one or two... Aren't the guys in the other classes going to need them, too?"

He immediately seems distressed, and places a pair down on the table. "Y-You're right! I'll go return the rest!"

"Uh, well... I don't think you need to go right away. Just if someone asks."

"I-I see... Then, I'll leave them here!"

Man, what is it with Kazushi when he's around Takeba? He becomes this fumbling, stumbling mess of a human being. Definitely not the guy he knew from track. Sure, it was funny to watch, but it also gave him serious second hand embarrassment.

"You know..." Kenji starts, and the entire group turns their attention to him. "When you're with girls... Well, more like, when you're with Takeba-san..."

"W-What?"

"Nothing." He chuckles. "So that's how it is. Oh right, that reminds me. Junpei, you were in charge of the popping stuff. Did you bring some?"

"Popping stuff?" It takes a moment, but the boisterous teen realises what he means. "Ohh! The bubble wrap. Uh... Good call, Kenji! Go get it. You know where they keep all this stuff, right?"

"Well, yeah, but... I just got back from there. You go get it. You're the one who forgot in the first place."

There was a certain... shit-eating grin on Junpei's face. "You sure? You really don't wanna go? That place is like a paradise, you know. Some fine ladies there who'd be just your type.."

"W-Wait, are you serious!? Be right back, guys!" He quickly begins to run right out the door, but stops in the frame. "Yeah, like I'd fall for that, dumbass. What kind of supply room is stocked with hot babes?"

Yukari's groaning becomes even more pronounced.

"Ugh, we're never going to finish at this rate. If you're gonna talk, talk while you work!"

* * *

 _September 24th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"Arisato."

That's a voice he hasn't heard in a few days. He turns his gaze towards the owner, confusion evident on his expression. He's extremely surprised, to say the least. Aragaki had barely shown his face around the dormitory since what happened– neither had Ken, for that matter– but suddenly he was being approached...

"..What's wrong?" He actually has a lot of questions, but that's the only one he vocalises. Things like ' _what was that the other night_ ' and ' _where have you been, you major idiot?_ ', but none of them he considers to be a question that would actually come out of his own mouth. No, they're just little things he thinks that he wants to ask out loud, but never truly does.

"Can we... step outside?" Minato raises an eyebrow, and the other is quick to explain. "It's just, I feel uncomfortable..."

He purses his lips in worry. He can't help but be concerned, this man basically single-handedly nursed him back to health while he was conscious during his sick-spell. So if something's wrong with him, then...

"Did something happen?"

The man's cheeks flush. "It's nothing like that, but.."

He seems hesitant.. But with a small smile and a nod of his head, Minato agrees to go outside. The two quickly make their way out of the dormitory, onto the steps out front where the taller man breathes out a large sigh of relief.

"Seriously..." He leans onto his hands. "Those guys have been yapping at me every time I step foot into the kitchen, since I cooked the other night."

"..They have their hopes up, is all. Kotone probably told them it was a miracle.."

"She roped me into cooking for everyone else the other day... But, well... I'm glad they enjoyed it." He smiles softly, and there's that weird thing his heart does again, like a jump or a skip that he can't quite explain. "Do you think it's funny that I helped you out? That I cooked for the others as well? That it isn't like me? I mean, there's nothing wrong with having good memories to grow up with... After all, we've got two kids at the dorm."

Two?

"One big one, and one tiny one..." Oh. Sanada. "How about you? Did you like the food?"

"I could barely taste it, but.. I think it was great." Tucking strands of blue behind his ear, he gives a grateful look to the older man. "It's all thanks to you. That I'm healthy again, that is."

"All I did was cook for you. You should've seen your sister and Takeba, they were absolutely losing it in fear." Yikes.. He'll need to apologise to those two proper, some time in the future. He feels awful for falling ill so easily. "Well, they all seemed to have fun. I wish you could've seen it, y'need more cheer in you. Making memories is important.. People can go on so long as they have good things to look back on... They'll be able to go on without being led astray.."

Aragaki's voice becomes a mutter at the last part, but Minato never asks for him to speak up.  
He understands the sentiment that the senior is saying, anyway.  
He understands it all too well.

"You know, you..." The older pauses, and searches for words. "Shouldn't you be doing something else? You shouldn't be with me like this.. Don't you... have more fun things to do?"

Fun things? That's almost laughable... His evenings before SEES always consisted of studying, eating and sleeping. He had a boring lifestyle, and it was simply what worked for him. But since becoming a member of this group of people.. His life has changed so much. He's noticed it in himself too.  
Smiles, laughter.  
Happiness.  
They weren't things he could express so openly in the past.

And besides... "Being with you is fun."

"Well.." The other turns redder than a tomato. "All right, then."

* * *

I CANT SQUEEZE EVERYTHING INTO SUCH A SMALL TIMEFRAME THAT THE STORY ALLOWS US WITH GAKI-SAN SO..  
I SKIPPED A FEW PARTS OF HIS SOCIAL LINK  
AND DECIDED TO USE THE SICKNESS AND NURSING AS AN EXCUSE FOR THIS PART..  
LEAVE ME ALONE IT WAS EASIER!

anyway i love minato. my gay son.

this chapter is rlly bad im so sorry...  
i just.. needed to post smth i felt bad making y'all wait so long  
idk whether i was going thru writers block or  
whether i've been feeling so ill lately that i couldnt do jack shit  
but.

i managed to write... it was a miracle, i kno  
idk what the next chapter'll hold it'll just be more building and stuff and preparing for..  
 _ **That Part**_.  
which im anxious to write bc.. i gotta.. execute it well or fuck me dead

anyway! even tho this chapter was trash, i hope y'all still enjoyed regardless!  
thank u for stickin with it for gosh 36.. chapters..

i hope y'all enjoyed! see y'all next time byebye!


	37. realisation (chapter 36)

aaaaAAAAAAAAAA  
/poses/ i hate myself but this was fun to write

* * *

 _September 26th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

...Aragaki took him to that back alley. He didn't like this place, just walking by reminded him that he royally messed up and got his sister's face knocked in. It reminded him that he was a major idiot in the past.  
...How weird. It's weird to think about how much he's changed in such a short amount of time. Their group had doubled in members as well...  
But, they were just going for a little walk together– and soon they'd ended up finding their way to this place. The place was oddly quiet, not a single one of the regular thugs that prowled the space currently occupied it. No, it was only him and his senior.

"...Here we are again." The taller sighs, and turns his gaze towards the shorter man. "That reminds me, I met you here, too... Back then, I never imagined I'd go back there..."

For a moment, Minato remains silent. How is he supposed to respond to that? Almost instinctively he wants to ask if his senpai regrets coming back. He's curious– something he and his sister shared that he'd oft make attempts to suppress. But instead, the words that leave his mouth even surprise himself.

"I'm glad you came back."

The older snorts with laughter. "..I doubt I'm bringing that much to the team, though. I really messed up the other day..."

There's a soft shift, and the crinkling of the maroon trench coat the elder wore, and he moves to lean against a wall. His eyes are dark; darker than normal. If he were a guessing man, Minato would assume that the other is feeling.. a lot less confident in himself than normal. And that was a little depressing..

"You're... a pain." The head of blue snaps up, eyebrows scrunched together with a frown. What the heck's that supposed to mean?! He's doing his best, y'know.. Trying to do his best as the leader of SEES. He's supposed to be someone that everyone can trust– bonding was a part of that. He learned that this year.

"You keep messing things up for me.." Shadowed over eyes close, a deep scowl on the other's tired face. "I keep thinking that my life is the way it's supposed to be, but... Sheesh.. Your face keeps popping into my head..."

What? _**What**_? There's a really funny feeling in the pit of his stomach. And his heart's doing that thing again. His face too, feels like it's been set on fire. Has he come down with the illness again? "...Huh?"

"...It's nothing. Let's head home." There's a slight sigh to his tone. "We have somewhere to call home, after all."

* * *

 _September 27th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Sanada-senpai had asked her out earlier.. And she wasn't too sure why she had become so excited. She'd dressed all nicely for it and everything.. But, in the end, they ended up going to their usual spot at Hagakure.

She has no idea why she felt it necessary to look nice in front of Sanada-senpai - who lived at the dormitory with her and had seen her in her pyjamas on multiple occasions, but she just.. did it. There's this feeling she has, though. She's getting closer to the answer to that question.  
But she's not sure she'll like what it is.

He sighs. "What am I supposed to do?"

Poor senpai.. He looks really tired. Maybe they should just head home? He looks like he needs a bit more sleep.. Maybe she should look up some recipes for energy..? She mightn't be able to make them as well as Aragaki-senpai would, but she's still pretty confident in that field - even if her role's been taken over.

"Oh... sorry. I shouldn't be like this after I called you out here." He leans on one of his hands. "There's just something bothering me right now..."

"What is it?" Ah. Was that a little too forward? "I mean.. If you wanna tell me, that is.."

"It's fine.. The other day, one of the girl's in your year called me up and asked if I'd date her." Eh?! No way! He was confessed too!? ...That's weird.. for some reason, she can't help but feel a little upset at that.. She lowers her eyes down, not wanting to let him see the mixture of emotions on her face, and he continues to talk. "I turned her down... but ever since then, she keeps bringing me letters and gifts.."

Hearing that he's turned her down.. kind of relieves her. It's awful - she feels awful just thinking it, but it really does.  
..Why is she like this?

Another sigh leaves the boxer's lips. "I could just ignore her, but I'd feel terrible. What in the world do I have to say to make her stop..?"

He really was a kindhearted man, wasn't he? He didn't even know this girl properly, but he didn't want to do anything horrible to her because of how she feels.. But he can't return those feelings. She's not really sure what to say.. Part of her thinks ' _Say you have a girlfriend!_ ' but.. she's not sure how that would exactly work out. It might cause more trouble for him, after all.

Then, something silly comes to mind, and with a grin on her face, she proudly exclaims it.

"You gotta tell her _'Beat me, and I'll date you!'_."

"I see..." Oh. He's taking her seriously?! She was only messing around with him.. To get her mind off of that funny feeling in her chest. "So I should challenge her instead. There's no way she'd actually agree to a fight."

Well, _duh_. Normal high school girls aren't exactly interested in getting into fights. It was that– and the crazy powers– that set the female members of SEES apart from other girls at school. Maybe that was why she had a hard time making friends out of their circle.  
...Nobody was like her but the people in SEES.

He smiles, and her heart skips a beat.

"That's a good idea. I'll remember that for next time." Suddenly, his expression falls serious. "Wait... What if she doesn't play fair? Like, what if she poisons my lunch...?"

He becomes lost in thought, muttering possibilities that are unlikely to come true under his breath, and Kotone can't help but giggle a little. This was the Sanada-senpai she knew. A little bit socially awkward, but kind and honest. A strong, proud fighter who worried for everyone like a protective guardian.  
This was the Sanada-senpai she had... fallen..

Oh.

 _Ohh_.

Oh, gosh dang it all!

* * *

 _September 27th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"Junpei-kun!"

Her small fists rap against the door repeatedly, making a constant rhythm of thumping noises. Her hands are beginning to turn red from how much she's hit this wooden door, but he wont answer her cries! Is he even here!? She's seriously going to strangle him once he opens the damn door–!

"Kocchan?" She whips her head around to spot Junpei, standing in the hallway by the staircase. He clearly looks confused, and who wouldn't be, with someone desperately breaking your door down when you aren't even home?

She only growls a little in her throat, and quickly paces toward him, snatching his wrist and dragging him over to his room. She points and gestures for him to open the door, and once he does, she drags him in with her frown only deepening.

"W-Whoa, what's this all about?" She quickly takes a look out the hallway– searching for anyone else, before shutting the door behind the two. Once it's only the two of them, she lets out a huge sigh of relief, and slides down the wooden door with her hands over her eyes.

She's such an idiot..

"Hey, you okay, Kocchan!?"

"I'm fine.." She laughs, filled with self-depreciation and scorn. "I'm just a stupid idiot."

His confusion is evident, as he takes a seat on the floor in front of her. "What do you mean? What happened?"

"...Sanada-senpai..."

"Huh?"

"You were right." This only makes him more puzzled, as he begins to crack his neck and searching his mind for a time he's ever said anything that might pertain to the words coming out of the girl's mouth. "...' _Are you interested in any boys..?_ ', you said.. ' _What about Sanada-san?_ ', you said.. You were right. I'm such an idiot."

It takes a moment for her words to sink in. And he takes in how she looks, cherry coloured eyes shadowed over by copper bangs, her cheeks stained with the colour of red wine. He honestly can't believe what she's telling him– and he can't figure out _ **why** _ she's telling _him_ of all people. There are plenty of girls in the dormitory that she could talk about this.. girl stuff with, but instead, she's barged into his (gross and messy) room and is currently sitting in front of the only exit that isn't a two story drop.

"Hooly shit." She scowls up at him. "..When did you figure it out? That you were.. _uh_."

"What? In love with our Senpai!? He flinches a little, and her head ducks into her arms with embarrassment. "..Sorry. And.. earlier today. We were out.. doing our normal thing, and he was going on about some girl who confessed to him and how to get rid of her, and it made me kinda upset, and so I gave him some silly advice that he took seriously and started to mumble about, and I thought it was stupid cute and then I kinda... realised."

Though, if she had to guess.. She's been feeling this way for quite a bit of time. She's not too sure when it started– was it with the July incident?– but she knew that eventually, she stopped wanting to be just a 'friend', or a 'little sister'. At that time, she had no idea what she wanted to be to him, though. Now, she sort of gets it.  
She didn't want to be his 'girlfriend', or anything stupid like that. Sure, she was in love with him– but could she be blamed for that? He was charming, proud and honest.. a little unsure and a bit of an aggressive blockhead, but he was truly kind. She just wanted to be special.

Whether that meant her feelings were returned or not, she didn't really mind.

...No, that's a lie.  
She'd probably become absolutely heartbroken.  
Huh, so _**this**_ is what those girls who confess feel like.  
They have so much more courage than she does.

"Man.. So, you gonna confess to him?" He asks, and she quickly shakes her head.

"I don't think I'll ever tell him, Junpei-kun."

"Huh!? Why!? Come on, I'm tellin' ya right now, he's totally into you!" She really doesn't know why he insists. "Seriously! Just give it a shot!"

"But what if he's _**not**_ , Junpei!? What if I'm just another member of SEES to him!? Or just a friend!? Or worse, like a ' ** _little sister_** '!?" She leans her head back, and sighs slowly. "I'm not going to tell him. I want to keep.. what we have now. If it means I have to bottle up how I feel, then so be it. I treasure that friendship with him.."

He sighs, surprisingly compliant with her words, and gives her a pat on the shoulder. How else is he supposed to comfort her? Girls don't like it when you pity them or get too touchy with them– Yukari was the clearest evidence of that. Then again, Yukari was just incredibly moody when she wanted to be.

"Kotone.." That surprises her, just a little. He only calls her by her name proper in serious situations. "..I can't say I agree with how you're gonna deal with it, but it's ultimately your choice."

He grins.

"...Y'not gonna stop me from playing cupid, though."

She giggles, just a little, and nods her head. "Knock yourself out, silly."

* * *

 _September 28th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

It's become tradition– almost.

Every other evening, he and Aragaki would go out for a little while. Well... he really didn't mind spending time with the senior. It wouldn't stop the strange things his heart would do, in fact it only made it worse, but he enjoyed their time together.

Normally, they'd be hanging out somewhere that wasn't inside the dorm, for either privacy's sake or just because, but today, they stand in the entrance, speaking quiet words together. None of it stands out particularly, until suddenly Aragaki speaks up.

"Today..." There's a brief pause, and Shinjiro looks away. "Why don't we stay here?"

He points to a chair in the living room; surprisingly empty for a Monday night. Iori mentioned that he was going to take Kotone out to a movie for a bit (his exact words confused him, something about 'cheering her up'..) and Takeba must've been in upstairs like the other two seniors. Amada rarely left his room these days, and Koromaru was fast asleep in front of the television. That just left Aigis.. who was 'sleeping' in her own room.

It was just the two of them.

"Sit over there." He takes a seat, and there's more silence between the two of them. Clearly, the older notices, as he looks at him with a somewhat exasperated face. "C'mon, say something."

He flinches a little– he's still not used to initiating conversations.

"...I don't know what to say..."

"Anything, whatever." He smiles behind a hand. "...Something that'd make you laugh would be great."

He has such a gentle expression. This Aragaki was a lot better than the one from earlier in the year, who had only ever come across as 'terrifying'. Maybe he was a little bit shy, and a whole lot bad at talking in a way that made him come across as approachable– but neither of them exactly were able to do that.  
It was why they confided in each other, why they found each other's company so easy to relax in.

"Then..." He think for a small moment. "..Would you like to hear about my childhood?"

"Sure."

He has to truly dig into his memories, particularly for the good ones from before the incident. Something that would make him smile.. That was what he wanted. Aragaki wanted something like that, and he didn't want to disappoint.

"This'll surprise you... when I was little, before the accident, I was probably even more cheerful than Kotone." The other raises an eyebrow in disbelief, and he smiles. "Hard to believe, right? Actually.. she used to be pretty shy around strangers. Our roles completely reversed."

He likes the memories of him playing in their front yard– chasing his sister around with a stick in one hand and a sun sized grin in the other, while she squealed in a mix of the playful terror that came with children playing. Their mother would watch from the porch, a book on her lap and a cup of warm tea by her side, hair the same shade as his own making waves in the wind.

They were good memories.

"Once.. we were playing tag with the other kids in the neighbourhood. We weren't playing regular tag, though. We had been playing that 'freeze' tag, y'know? The one where if you get touched, you have to stop in place and wait for someone to touch you again." The other nods, signalling that he was paying attention (though, his expression hardly changes, as usual), and he continues. "Kotone was a big scaredy-cat back then, and some of the boys would make fun of her because of it. And one of those boys was 'it' at that time, and he managed to tag me underneath a tree."

He begins to laugh a little.

"We hadn't seen Kotone the entire game, but the second I was tagged and the boy ran away to get someone else, she came falling out of a tree and quickly bought me back into the game! I thought she must've been a ghost! I didn't even know how she got up there– It was such a tall tree." He closes his eyes, trying to remember that summer day with as much accuracy as he can. "Then again... It must've only been tall because I was so small."

He continues to speak about things from the past, whatever comes to mind leaves his lips.  
He's never known how much about the past he's wanted to tell someone.  
How much he's wanted it all off his chest.

But for some reason.. Aragaki seems lonesome.

Once he finishes all his speeches– a bit of embarrassment on his face out of how much she's spoken, and the other finally speaks up. "Are you done?"

A smile wrinkles the dark eyed man's lips.

"C'mon, tell me more. Encore, encore!" He laughs with such a sweetness that he didn't know was possible from the senior.

With his heart fluttering and butterflies in his stomach, he continues to go on and on. He's lost things about the past to talk about– not without talking about the more.. upsetting (and boring) parts that came after the incident, so he begins to go on about his school life.  
The people he's closest to: Kirijo, Sanada, Takeba, Yamagishi, Aigis and Iori. He even off-handedly mentions Kenji.  
The clubs he's in: Track. He mentions how much fun Nishiwaki Yuko and Miyamoto Kazushi are to talk to, and how much fun he has on the field.  
He talks about things he's watched on TV: He goes on and on about the latest episode of Featherman, and how he used to love sentai shows like that.

And he just listens to his constant babbling.  
That's the best word for it. 'Babbling'. He's never spoken so much in a small amount of time in his entire life.  
And it's still a little embarrassing for him, but the encouragement he had received lessened that feeling, just a little.

"Sounds like you're enjoying your days." He nods his head, a smile plastered on the senior's face. "You look best when you laugh. You need to do that more."

The other falls silent, and his face becomes serious.

"..That's why.. Don't cry, got it..?"

That only confuses him.  
What's going on?  
Why is Aragaki speaking like that?

"..What are you trying to say?"

"Just what I said." He looks down. "..I gotta make sure I don't leave anything behind.. No doubts, no regrets.."

"...' _Leave behind_ '..?" Minato narrows his eyes, a mix of anger and confusion in his heart. What's Aragaki talking about!? Why... Why does he sound like he's preparing to leave them all?! Like he's going to leave _**him**_ behind!?

"..." The other huffs, his dark eyes never meeting blue ones. "I keep telling you what to forget and what to remember... What to want and what to not want.. I'm selfish, aren't I?"

The blue haired teen scoffs. "Hardly. That's not true at all."

The other doesn't speak. Is he not believed? Well, he's telling the truth. Aragaki did a lot of selfless things for everyone. He took care of everyone, loathe as he seemed to admit it. And yet.. he wants to just.. leave them all?

"Hey.. As long as I'm already being selfish, I want you to do one more thing for me."

He remains quiet for a moment– trying to think of something to say. He's angry, _**really angry**_ , angry at how little Aragaki cared for himself, how he spoke as though he'd be gone soon, but he can't help but give the elder the reply he wants.

"..Alright."

"You don't have to forgive me... But forgive everything else.."

"What're you talking about?"

"..You'll understand later." He leans back on the lounge, his eyes on his hands. "It should be like this for a little longer.. I just want it to be... normal.."

There's such a sad, wistful smile on his face.  
He doesn't understand a thing of what Shinjiro is saying.  
..But, it's important, isn't it..?

* * *

almost. all of this chapter is minato and shinji talking..  
i cant believe aragaki shinjiro is made up of 100% real tears  
im depressed,, my children are so dense, and the fated day is coming soon  
... and when i say 'coming soon' i mean.. next chapter  
... **:^)** ...

wontonnoodles! im so embarrassed and grateful to hear that ur interested;;  
ive actually read the first chap of ur fic! im super interested too!  
lets both do our bests!

anyway! i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!  
the next chapter will definitely be.. a long and depressing one by the end, so  
we needed a lil fluff to bring us all up!  
im going to add the romance genre to this fic btw, it deserves it lol

anyway! see y'all next chapter!


	38. ruin (chapter 37)

one day my notes at the start and end of this fic are either going to..  
devolve into incoherent squawking  
or.. evolve into strange hentai quotes

* * *

 _October 2nd, 2009._  
 _After School._

He wanted to hang out with her.  
Initially she wanted to reject him.  
But that would only make him a little sad and a whole lot confused.

She didn't want to upset him because she didn't know how to interact with him normally after her sudden realisation.

Despite those thoughts, today the table between them in Hagakure was almost dead silent, neither of them knowing exactly what to say. So she continues to stuff her mouth with the hot ramen they'd ordered, hoping that he wouldn't notice how she avoided his eyes– not wanting him to look at her directly and realise how she felt.

"Well, um.." She pauses her slurping, and looks at him (focusing almost entirely on how his eyebrows furrowed with his words), listening in to what he had to say. "How are you?"

Her lips purse tight around her chopsticks. "...I'm okay."

"...Physically, I mean."

Oh. Kotone pulls the wooden sticks out of her mouth, and places them down on her bowl. She thinks for a few moments; their trips into Tartarus were becoming nightly instead of every second day, thanks to the nearing full moon. As of such, she'd been fairly tired and had noticed more bruises on her legs than usual.

But.. Otherwise, she was okay.  
She was doing better than Minato, who these days had an unreadable expression on his face.  
He was happy, but in a strange way she'd never seen on him.  
...She hopes it lasts.

"What about you, Senpai? How are you physically?" He had a lot more strain on his body than she did. He trained almost all the time, and participated in club activities four days a week, plus the frequent trips into a tower of hell. Even when she went training with him, often times no more than jogs or taking Koromaru for walks, she was still awe-inspired by how he was able to keep his body functioning.

"Huh?" He looks down. "O-Oh.. I'm alright."

A conflicted feeling paints his face, and he begins to twiddle his thumbs together, his eyes never leaving the black material of his gloves.

"It's just that... When I watch you fight... I get.. I don't know.." His frown deepens. "I feel... angry."

That sets something off in her.  
Is she a bad fighter?  
Does she have no place on the team?  
She had to be doing something bad, or else one of SEES' top fighters wouldn't be getting mad at her.

Her hands smack down on the table, creating a loud bang as her voice raises into a mixture of a yell and a cry. "What am I doing wrong!?"

The entire store looks at them, and she feels the hairs on her neck stand up and her face prickles with embarrassment. She mumbles a quick ' _sorry_ ', before sitting back down, hiding her face with her hands. This is so humiliating... She's such a child.

"Oh, no.. I didn't really mean it that way.." He scratches his head, troubled beyond her own belief. "It's not so much that I get angry, but I get irritated..."

That doesn't sound much better in her mind, and she only becomes more depressed and concerned with her fighting style.

But Sanada speaks up again. "No, that's not it, either. I guess... I get nervous."

"Do I seem unreliable..?"

"No.." His smile dazzles her. "You're doing a really great job."

His kindness is overwhelming. This is really too much for her.. She shouldn't have come out with him. She should've said she was going somewhere with Yukari or Junpei, and that they'll speak some other time. But she didn't, and now her heart is being bombarded.  
He falls silent, steel eyes falling on the cup of water by his bowl's side.

"Is..." Akihiko scrounges through his mind for the right words. "Is there any way... that you can avoid having to fight?"

Avoid.. fighting? That was an odd thing to think. This was her lifestyle now, and it would feel almost strange without it. She would want to stop fighting no matter what, but she'd prefer for it to be when she has a choice. When she can chose between fighting and not fighting. Right now, she didn't have that luxury. Everyone who could needed to lend their strength for this battle, after all.  
Even if she thought she was useless, or weak, she still had no choice but to continue fighting.

"Oh.. Never mind, sorry. Forget what I just said." His head bows in apology. "I mean, you're trying the hardest out of all of us. I shouldn't have said that to you."

She thinks that's wrong. No matter what anyone else said, her brother was the most hardworking member of them all. He had such a burden on his shoulders, leading and tactics, keeping them all alive.. He was doing his best, and he tried as hard as he could to pretend like it wasn't affecting him.

"...Should I still be on the front-lines?"

"No, that's not it! You're definitely an asset, it would be strange if you weren't one of our main fighters. You have an irreplaceable role... I mean it." Her cheeks flush. He's just complimenting her, right? Saying what she wants to hear.. right? "...Sorry. I'm confused, myself..."

He sighs. "What am I saying...?"

He's absolutely stumped. She's never once seen him like this– stumbling over his words and utterly lost for the correct thing to say. There's a certain silence in the air, and she quietly begins to take a large drink out of the water that they were provided. She just wants to take her mind off of this entire conversation, really. Her heart was too weak for this.

"... Deep down, I know why I don't want you to be fighting.." He turns red, and diverts his eyes away from her gaze. "It's just that... I'm worried about you."

She coughs loudly, nearly choking on her water, unable to believe the words that just came out of his mouth. Her face turns the shade of a tomato, right down her neck and even tinting her ears with a blinding shade of red. Her hand shoots up to her mouth as she forces herself to swallow the water in hopes of not further making a fool out of herself, and moves her eyes down to her skirt.

"...I-I see.."

That makes her so unbelievably happy.  
She almost thinks its a dream.

He sighs. "C'mon.. Eat. Eat up."

His chopsticks nudge her hands, and she quickly goes to eating up her food, which ends up being that strange 'not hot, but not cold' temperature.

And once they finish, they return to the dorm without another word shared between them.  
It's awkward, but it feels like the only thing that's right for the time being.

* * *

 _October 4th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

The command room was filled with the members of SEES, like it was every full moon. The only difference was, this time they were missing a two people. Amada and Aragaki were no where to be found, but nobody was exactly discussing it. Amada rarely showed his face around, and.. well, Aragaki was Aragaki.

 _"I've located the target.."_ The group turns their gazes to Yamagishi, incased inside of Lucia's protective veil as she searches for their enemy. _"It's in the plaza in front of Iwatodai Station!"_

"This will be the tenth.. Only a few left, but let's worry about them one at a time." Ikutsuki sighs. He was right, of course, but it was still hard to not worry about what's going to happen in the future. Three powerful Shadows... it was a frightening idea.

"Assuming they come one at a time." Takeba giggles. "Just kidding."

 _"...Yukari-chan, how did you know!? I sense two of them!"_

The girl's face twists in shock, a scoff in her words directed to herself. "Are you serious!? Me and my big mouth..."

"... Where's Shinji?" Sanada asks, looking around the group with an eyebrow raised, searching for the tall and heavily dressed man.

 _"He just notified me that he'll meet up with you later."_ The teal haired girl quickly explains. _"I didn't ask any questions."_

"Figures. He's always played by his own rules."

Junpei shrugs. "It's okay. At least he's coming, right?"

Minato leans back on the wall, his hands fiddling with the glimmering Evoker, a distraction from everything around him. He's worried, but he's not allowed to show it. That is the rule he's set up for himself, and it's a rule he'll abide by until his dying day.

"We should move on." He states, trying to keep his voice from showing any sort of concern. He's the leader, after all. He's got to be strong for everyone else. The concern he has is unfounded, and he doesn't quite understand why he's so distressed by it.

"Indeed, we can't wait for him." Kirijo agrees.

Takeba looks around for a moment. "Wait, Ken-kun's not here, either.. Hey Junpei, go get him. That'll be your punishment for last time."

"Punishment? What is this, kindergarten?" The taller boy groans, but quickly heads out, mumbling under his breath. "That little shit is more trouble than he's worth."

Out of the corner of his eyes, he can see Kotone's lips turn downwards, a frown. Well, even if they weren't his 'bodyguards' anymore, she'd taken up keeping the little boy on the right path, and in general keeping him safe and healthy. She was the sort who couldn't help but want to take care of children.. Too bad that Amada was a moody little brat at times. Although he was plenty mature when he could be, it was still easy to tell that he was a child.  
He liked traditionally 'childish' things– they watched Featherman together, and the little boy's face would light up like a beacon at the fight scenes.  
He often drank milk– no doubt to gain more height, considering his reasons for wielding such a long weapon.  
And he couldn't control his emotions.

...He hopes the kid's alright, though.

"Alright, let's move out. This time, there are two enemies. We'll determine our formation once we arrive."

"Let's go, then!"

As the group leaves, Minato swears he hears the Chairman mutter something under his breath.

* * *

From the eerily quiet strip mall, they can see the two Shadows dancing around the roundabout in front of the station. They were large and almost hellishly intimidating, but they simply continued their ballroom like manner– awaiting their adversaries.  
It was almost disgustingly polite of them to do something like that. Like they believed they were so strong nobody would defeat them.

"This is the way we go to school.." Yukari murmurs, her hands tight around her bowstring.

"We have to protect it." Kotone agrees, her voice soft.

Mitsuru takes a look around. "Where's Amada?"

"He wasn't in his room, so who knows.." Iori explains, his shoulders heaving up in an exaggerated shrug.

"Dammit, Shinji... Where are you?" It takes a moment, but there's a flash of realisation bursting onto the boxer's expression. "Wait.."

Kirijo too, seems to realise something once Akihiko says something. "Akihiko, don't tell me that..!"

"Today's October Fourth, right!?" He turns his almost desperate gaze to Fuuka. "Yamagishi! Try to locate Shinji and Amada's positions!"

 _"Huh? Oh, okay!"_ Her hands clutch tight to her chest in prayer, her eyes twitching slightly as she focused her hardest.

Takeba looks down at her feet. "Um.. Did something happen between those two?"

The two seniors share a look– one filled with pain and a mutual understanding that they have another explanation to give out. The air was thick between all of them– a few silent members briefly wonder if Takeba is about to speak up again about the secret keeping, but soon the redheaded woman clutches her arms tight and begins to speak.

"Two years ago... On a night when we'd gone to take down a Shadow in the city. At the time, Aragaki had just acquired his Persona, and he suddenly lost control of his powers." The leader watches as his sister's hands reach up to cover her mouth in shock, and he too can't help but feel the same way. Then, that night.. That was his Persona losing control, wasn't it? "Unfortunately, there was just one casualty that night."

"That was.. Amada's mother."

 _"I'm getting a reading! Those two **are** together!"_ Fuuka's voice rings out. _"Their location is.. the alley behind Port Island Station!"_

Without another word from anyone else, Sanada breaks into a sprint– away from the rest of SEES, and away from their main objective. However, before he's able to escape the area to where Amada and Aragaki are, something like a cage slams down in front of him, trapping one of his leg's underneath.

"Akihiko!"

"Sanada-senpai!"

* * *

The full moon casts a green glow down on the small alleyway, where a short boy awaits– a long pole arm in his hands. His once doe like eyes, filled with innocence, are hard and only reflect a single emotion– malice. As he hears a set of heavy footsteps ring around the empty alley, he takes in a deep breath, clenching his hands tighter around his spear.

"So you came." He doesn't turn his back to look the other in the eyes, he has enough of an idea as to who it is. "Since you were willing to ditch the operation..."

His voice darkens, and he looks over his shoulder to the man.

"You know what this is about, right?" Such a tone from a child was almost depressing, the sheer amount of spite and anger piercing his voice and showing in his face was unlike anything a child should ever show. "It was two years ago today. My mother died right here that day. Officially, her cause of death was a traffic accident, but that was no accident. I saw it..My mother was murdered! It was you who killed her!"

Not a single thing is uttered from the other in response.

* * *

 _"Shadows! They're coming!"_

A pair of Shadows land in front of the group, the one who had crushed Sanada's leg underneath it's cage like body covered in dainty flowers– belying the strength it truly held. Quickly, Minato and Junpei pull the elder man away from the two, who hisses something about 'being fine' as Aigis, Yukari, Mitsuru and Koromaru take positions in front in order to attack whilst the silver haired man was getting his injury healed.

Quickly, Kotone's Persona is summoned, a glow of healing light takes over the injured leg. Most things like broken bones could be healed with the use of Personas, but the second the Dark Hour ended, it was always better to go to a doctor and have it checked out. Not everything could be healed mystically. Soon however, the older man is able to stand on both legs again, and makes his way to the front of the group, a mixture between a hiss and a growl leaving his lips.

"We'll make quick work of these bastards!" And as he raises his fists into a fighting stance, he murmurs something closer to himself. "Don't jump the gun– Amada! Shinji!"

The first one to attack is Sanada; who slams his fist into the feminine one in a preemptive strike– though, at this point, it was more of a revenge thing. His gloved fists tear through the flora, ripping petals like paper. He doesn't give the Shadow time to think, quickly switching his fighting style from his preferred style of a southpaw boxer to a kickboxing stance, where he sends a powerful kick into the monster's body.

He wasn't normally a kickboxer; it was just another style they taught in club.  
He excelled in regular boxing, but if he needed to use it, kickboxing will do.

It worked in getting the Shadow further away from the group, anyway.

Next, Takeba sends a flying arrow towards the Shadow, hitting it in the holes between it's mask, where it's eyes would normally be. It squeals in pain– it's voice so naturally ' _human_ ' that it clearly shakes up a few of the members, who flinch at the sound. After it's quick screech, it sends those cage like whips out again, sending them for Kirijo and Kotone, who use their weapons to block the attacks as Aigis summons her own Persona.

The second Shadow, with a body like a dog, sends a rain of bullets on the three girls, which is swiftly blocked by Palladion as Sanada rushes forward in a blind rage, his Evoker aimed for his forehead as he cries out his Persona's name, the words a hiss as the metal clashes together with Polydeuces' fist. He clicks his tongue as the attack connects, but doesn't seem to cause any damage.  
This battle needs to end!  
It needs to end, _**now**_!

* * *

"There was nothing good about my life. It was painful to keep living on. And that's how everyone treated me. Wherever I went, people looked down on me and pitied me." His empty fist clenches, tight enough for his small hands to turn white and draw blood. "There was a time where I thought about dying, but I couldn't face my mother like that. So I made up my mind! That I'd go on living until I avenged her!"

His left foot forward, and his spear aimed right for the older man, he uses the skills honed in bootcamp with Sanada-san and pole arm training with Kotone-san.  
He's going to win.

And then, he'll die happy.  
Able to face his mother.

* * *

The dog-like Shadow is bombarded by exploding flames, created by Koromaru and Junpei's combined efforts. It moves in a rushed, and even terrified manner, attempting to dodge the explosions until a pair of particular attacks strike below and above, causing it to go flying across a rooftop, sending a cloud of dust and the disgusting screech of metal against metal.

"Alright!"

Koromaru barks in agreement to the sword-wielding teen.

"Let me!"

Yukari aims her Evoker, letting Io out, only for a barrage of petals to be sent flying at her, causing her to be shot off several feet away from her Persona, right in the middle of summoning. As of such, Io's glimmering blue figure soon disappears, as Kirijo cries out the girl's name in concern. Urania sends another burst of fire at the Shadow, mixing in with a surprise kick from the Anti-Shadow weapon, which manages to send the monster off balance for just a few moments so they can recollect their party.

"Oi! Yukaricchi!"

"Yukari-chan!"

The girl's pink clad body lies on the ground, her eyes closed tight and several cuts covering her body. Those petals weren't normal, clearly. They were probably sharp enough to cause such surprisingly deep gashes in the girl's tanned skin. With their main healer down, Kotone rushes forward towards her, Urania's iridescent glow following it's summoner along as she slides to a stop by the shorter girl, prepared to heal when there's suddenly a bright white light coming from above.

It catches everyone's attention, and they all look towards the source.

That golden, dog Shadow was standing back up, and the light was coming from behind it. Descending from the sky is a large golden disc of sorts, the place for a spinner right in the middle, an arrow pointed right at several crudely drawn pictures that seemed to indicate something.

"Wh-What... is that?"

The Shadow takes it's place as the key to begin the spinning, and soon begins spinning the wheel, the cogs clinking with each picture passed over. All they could do was wait in anticipation for what it was going to land on, huh..? They didn't know what would happen when it did stop spinning, though..

* * *

"At first, I thought it was the Shadows!" His hands quiver around the spear, it's blade end clearly shaking as his anger takes all control of his thoughts. He's emotionally driven, and he's beginning to let it go to his head. "But I realised I was wrong! The other day, it came back to me clearly. When I saw your Persona go berserk... That's how you killed her, huh!? My mother... No way are you going to get away with that!"

"So.. that's why..." His eyes are hard as he sends a powerful glare at the man, his voice a hard snarl. "I'm going to kill you myself!"

Finally, Aragaki opens his eyes– when he's closed them, Ken doesn't know.  
And the look he's given is something he doesn't understand.

* * *

The arrow begins to slow to a stop, inching closer and closer to what appeared to be a large star like drawing.  
At first, it seems harmless, but soon Yamagishi's voice becomes a shrill cry.

 _"This is no good! Everyone get away!"_

It finally stops, and there's another glow of light and a large humming noise, before the ground below the group explodes. They're all engulfed in light, a scream of complete and utter horror leaving Fuuka's lips as the area is overcome by a cloud of smoke and dirt, clouding her vision towards her comrades. Soon the dust cloud begins to part, and she sees a Persona protecting the small group closest to the Shadow, Aigis' Palladion guarding the two seniors.  
She clenches the fabric over her heart in relief.

"You guys, are you all alright?!" Mitsuru cries for the other group, but once the smoke separates over there, they're met with an awful sight. Yukari was already down for the count, most likely only injured and unable to move, but that attack had left herself, Kotone, Koromaru and Junpei down for the count. Their bodies were crumpled and still, a small pool of blood leaving the _naginata_ wielder's body.

"Kotone!" Akihiko's voice is filled with a certain edge to it, as his steel eyes send the golden Shadow a piercing glare.  
He wont forgive these two.  
This battle needs to end.

"Iori! Takeba! Koromaru! Arisato!" Her eyes desperately search the area for their leader. "Where's our leader!?"

"Persona!"

The smoke is dispersed entirely with the sudden yell of a familiar voice, and Orpheus comes shooting through the skies, slamming it's lyre down on the Shadow with a fury. He grumbles when his Persona is sent flying backwards, and Aigis quickly begins to speed over, jumping over attacks by the feminine Shadow's cage like tendrils and sending a bombarding fire of bullets onto it's face.

The wheel begins to spin again.

"Not good!" Mitsuru fires her own Evoker, with Penthesilea freezing the wheel in it's track, only for the floral Shadow to send more petals, breaking the ice incasing it's companion. The monster retaliates against the one who froze it, sending red arrows for the wine haired woman, piercing through the Persona and managing to strike her right in the arm, slashing open her sleeve and leaving a nice long gash.

"Mitsuru!"

The floral one lands in front of them again, attempting to crush the pair if they hadn't managed to dodge at the last second– spotting the way it left a shadow over them thanks to the green moonlight.

"We need to start by destroying this one!" Penthesilea is summoned once again, flying forward and using it's rapier skilfully, destroying tendrils until it finally finds it's way to the Shadow's main body, slamming the blade against the enemy's neck. It's blocked, just barely, and there's a clear struggle as the two shake with the attempts to overpower each other, a stalemate that will only end once one of them gave in. The Shadow attempts to use it's petals again, but they're frozen in place and destroyed by Kirijo's Persona, who signals for Akihiko to attack the next one.

"Now!" Polydeuces flies towards the roulette wheel, only to be pierced by darkened spears, causing it to break the Persona and undo the summoning. He hisses in frustration, and turns his gaze towards the blue haired leader. "Arisato! Take out that roulette thing! If you don't hurry, Shinji's gonna–!"

The boy turns his gaze from his screaming senior to the pool of blood forming around his twin sister, to the Shadow standing in his way and to the disgusting coloured moonlight. His breath becomes haggard as he holds his Evoker tight, unable to think.  
Those words.  
' _Shinji's gonna–!_ ' what? He's terrified.  
His little sister is bleeding out steps away from him, but he had no choice but to abandon helping her to attack that damned monster.  
He hates this.  
He's so scared.

* * *

And finally, with the blade of his spear pointed directly at the taller man's chest, he speaks.

"Do it. I wont resist." The boy flinches– his hard eyes briefly reflecting how puzzled he is at those words. "It's the penalty for constantly running away from it. The reason I left my team,and why I suppressed my power with drugs. It was all because I wanted to forget."

His hands leave the pockets of his heavy coat, reaching up to the blade.

"But it was for nothing. My body refuses to forget." His hands are shaking. "I find myself here before I know it. Even though it's a spot I don't want to see."

"It won't do you any good to tell me that now!"

"I know. I'm not gonna make any excuses. It's something I did. I'll pay the price." He takes a deep breath. "But... There's just one thing I should warn you about."

"Warn me?"

"If you take the life of even a wretch like me, you'll end up shouldering the same burden as me. Just be sure you're ready for that."

Ken laughs, scornful. "What's with that? Is that you begging for your life!?"

"Even if there's nothing but hate inside of you, someday you'll end up shouldering it. Without fail."

"Don't mess with me! No way am I ever shouldering something like that!"

There's clapping, echoing throughout the empty alleyway. It's slow, like the sort of clap you hear at a ballroom party. The two turn their gazes, and meet eyes with a half naked man, underweight beyond belief. This is the man from before.. The man from Strega.

"You're absolutely right!" The newcomer has a tone that's eerily monotone, filled with malice and a certain hint of 'psycho'. It was unnerving to hear him talk again, after what happened in August. "Of course you'll never shoulder such a thing."

The man takes a single step forward, his eyes cold.

"Nor is it necessary."

* * *

The Persona he's summoned this time– Clotho, the weaver of fate– speeds forward, dodging gusts of wind set up by the roulette Shadow. It prepares to set up an attack, only to be fired down at by several hard-hitting pierce type attacks, causing the Persona to shatter mid preparation.

"Arisato!"

His Evoker shakes by his temple, but he soon drops it down.  
His mind is wavering. What's he supposed to do?  
He can't think properly.

Why is he like this?  
He can't be a leader like this.  
He's unreliable like this.

The feminine Shadow takes the pause in the group's movements as an advantage, using it's cage like tendrils to create a literal sphere around them to trap them in. Each one makes it's way into the ground, creating large holes and smashing open concrete. His eyes follow the spikes until he spots it head towards the collapsed bodies of his comrades.  
And instinctively, he pulls the trigger.

Orpheus manages to bend one of the stakes out of alignment, causing it to just barely miss the small group.  
And he breathes just a little easier.

The golden Shadow begins it's movements again, starting back up this horrid game of roulette.  
He watches.

* * *

"What he's about to do.. That's revenge. Since his mother was killed, it's okay for him to kill, too."

The long haired man takes another single step forward, a disgusting smirk etching it's way onto his face. His eyes are terrifying to look at, an unnatural shade of glimmering yellow that crawls up the spine. His voice too, he speaks with a simple and polite tone, but combines it with horrid words and an apathetic attitude.  
It's unnatural.  
It's unnerving.

"You bastard!"

"Of course.. Either way, you're going to die, eventually." The man shrugs. "Even if this boy doesn't get his revenge."

Ken turns his gaze back onto Aragaki, disbelief in his eyes. And the man continues to explain, letting the young boy decide if his words are truth based off of the way the older man behind him changes the expression on his face.

"It's been quite a while since you started using drugs to suppress your Persona." A smile. "You don't have much more time left in this world."

The little boy turns his back on the stranger. "What does that mean..? Is it true!? You're just gonna die on your own!? Even if.. I don't do anything.. On your own!? How the hell is that fair!? What have I been doing all this time!?"

"What actually brings on death probably doesn't matter. Young man, I'm not discerning the scent of living from you– in a different way than him." He chuckles. "After slaying him, you were planning to die yourself, too, weren't you? But that's just a matter of who goes first. Either way, you're both going to die."

He pulls out a gun, not one like the one's that the two of them carried, but a real genuine gun. It ominously glints in the moonlight, and is aimed directly for the orange clad boy. His finger slips to the trigger, and on instinct, Aragaki shoves himself in front of Ken.

The gun is fired.

* * *

With a loud yell, Polydeuces slams one of it's fists into the floral Shadow, and Penthesilea kicks it with an elegance, sending it to the ground. This gives enough time for Sanada to turn towards Minato, his voice no longer hiding any of the fear and anger it was holding.

"Arisato! You've got to take out that roulette thing!"

The boy turns his gaze up to the spinning wheel in the sky.  
What's he supposed to do?  
He doesn't know.  
He can't stop thinking.  
He can't move his arms or legs.

Penthesilea moves quickly, and makes an attempt to freeze the Shadow that the two seniors are fighting, and once she does, and Mitsuru calls for Akihiko to make a move.

"Akihiko!"

" _ **Drop dead**_!" There's a flash of light, and thunder crashes throughout the sky. Lightning splits the cage in two, striking the ice-clad Shadow directly, destroying it. The cage begins to disappear from around them, and Akihiko stomps his way over, his shoulders heaving as he slams a fist into their leader's face. "Arisato! Snap _**out**_ of it!"

The blue haired boy crumples to his knees in shock, the pain welling in his cheek. He's sure he's bleeding inside his mouth somewhere– he can taste that distinct iron liquid. But that single punch was all he needed. He stumbles his way up, and pulls his Evoker back to his head.

"Persona!"

Thor comes flying out, and with a powerful spin, slams it's hammer into the golden Shadow's body. There's an abnormal amount of lightning around them; no doubt thanks to the storm that Sanada's Persona had caused, and it all finds itself attracted to Mjölnir in the hands of it's god. There's a struggle, the Persona pushes down harder and harder with it's hammer, and the Shadow tries it's hardest to land on the 'attack' slot of it's roulette wheel.

But with a mighty crack, both the Shadow and it's devil wheel are destroyed.

The second that the boxer sees the ribbon's of black stream out of where the Shadow's body was, he turns towards his redheaded team member, who currently was attempting to revive Kotone, checking for where the bleeding was happening from. It wasn't as bad as they thought it was, probably having been slowed by her clothing, but it was definitely something that they needed to attend to.

"Mitsuru, take care of them!"

He takes off.

"Akihiko!"

* * *

His blood begins to create a pool on the concrete.  
He can feel himself choke on blood coming up his throat.  
He clutches for where there's a gaping wound in his stomach area.

"Go to hell."

He can't believe this.

"Now then, in lieu of your dying words, let me ask you." He takes more steps forward, aiming his gun for the beanie clad head. "There's a data gatherer among you, is there not? You see, you have better data than we do.. So we can't protect the Shadows. Please tell me.. The identity of this nuisance."

Nobody talks, and the man frowns.

"What's wrong? Won't you tell me?" He smiles. "Or are you no longer able to speak?"

"I don't.. know who.."

Ken steps forward, in front of the man he wants to kill and the man who has shot him. "It's me."

"Is that true?"

"It's true! Because I'm able to do that, that's why they let me join, even though I'm just a child!"

"What are you–" The man kicks Aragaki dead in the face, sending him backwards, knocking his head on the cold ground.

"I wasn't asking you."

The young boy drops his weapon, his eyes low.

"I don't care anymore.. My revenge is over."

"I see." A laugh, and he shifts his aim from the man on the ground to the small boy. "So you've lived enough. So wonderfully prepared. I'll take care of you first. Now rest in peace."

The boy closes his eyes, and he hears a gunshot.  
Despite that, he feels no pain.  
His brown eyes peer open, and to his surprise, clutching him tight to his chest is Aragaki– the man's blood splattering high in the air as he protects his would-be murderer.  
The two fall into a crumpled pile on the ground, and the boy reaches a hand around the man's coat, feeling the blood pool up and stain it's thick and warm material. He lifts a hand up, and once he sees the blood on his small hands, his mind drifts back to that night.

This was the way his mother protected him.

The man who fired the gun, speaks with confusion. "Why would you do that? What good would it do you to save this child?"

"Shinji!"

A group of footsteps approach, and Ken leans his head backwards, trying to see who it was. Leading them was Sanada-san, with Kirijo-san and Minato-san by his side. Limping behind them at a much slower pace was Iori-san, Takeba-san, Koromaru and Kotone-san.  
They were covered head-to-toe in wounds, wounds that had yet to be taken care of.

"What a pain.."

The man leaves, like a ghost.  
One moment he was there, then he was gone.

"Shinji!"

"Aragaki!"

"Senpai!"

"Aragaki-senpai!"

The group crowds around the two crumpled up bodies, one clinging onto life with two massive holes in his body and the other unscathed, physically but not mentally. Sanada pulls the body of his foster brother off of the child, holding him close in his arms as he desperately calls for him to hold on.

"Stay with us! Shinji!"

"We need to treat those wounds now!"

The man's eyes slip open, weak and barely able to hang on, but still filled with a vigor. His eyes are only on Ken, and he speaks directly to the boy. "What's with that face? You got your wish, for God's sake.."

He coughs, blood splattering onto his chin.

"Senpai!"

"Aragaki-senpai!"

The cries of the junior's messes into white noise in the little boy's ears.

"Shinji!"

"These wounds are too deep! We wont be able to do anything until the Dark Hour ends!"

"You don't have to..." The man murmurs, his words still only for the boy he protected. "Get rid of your hate right away... Just turn it into power... Remember, you're still just a kid.. For what lies ahead of you... Live."

"But.. I.. I!"

Finally, Aragaki turns his eyes to his foster brother. "Aki.. Take care of him.."

The boxer grabs the man's blood stained hand. "I will."

"and... hey, Leader.."

Minato turns his gaze towards the man he had bonded with, and he's beginning to realise what that funny twinge is in his chest.  
And it's too late for him, isn't it?

"...I told you to not cry..."

He's crying?  
Now that it's been said, he can feel hot wet tears drip down his cheeks.  
A hand reaches up to brush them away, and soon he's using his sleeves, trying to hide it.

"This... is how.. it should be."

With those words, the man's grip loosens and his eyes close, a smile resting on his face.  
The group can only sit there around him in shocked silence, the only sounds being the mixed sobs of Amada and Sanada.

October Fourth.  
Arisato Minato decides that everyone he loves dies.  
...He has to distance himself.

* * *

STRUMS MY GUITAR.  
how do y'all.. like them apples.  
me: im gonna pair minato and shinji  
also me: but im gonna kill him off

LMAO anyway... this was so long..  
the longest chapter is the death chapter LOLLL

anyway so ultimately shinji and minato never really?  
end up a couple.  
i dont think the two ever wouldve developed that far in the given timeframe  
esp with their personalities.  
ultimately? it ended up being just a crush.  
whether it was mutual or not is up to you

literally the only reason why there's a 1000+ words of fluff at the beginning  
of this chapter is to soften it up LMAO.. this chapter would be too hard for me  
i really really hope i pulled off october 4th right!  
it was the hardest chapter for me to write, due to the amount of emotion

i hope y'all enjoyed it!  
next few chapters, we'll be taking some time off of minato's POV  
and going for some good ol' kotone, since she hasnt done much these days


	39. resolution (chapter 38)

bangs my fists down  
how fucked would it be for me to quit writing this after the last chapter

* * *

October 5th, 2009.  
Early Morning.

..Nobody spoke when they returned home.  
It was dead silent, with everyone's minds on the face of a man who went with a smile.

"Arisato?"

She snaps out of it as Kirijo-senpai speaks to her in a surprisingly warm and soft voice. Everything must've affected her as well, even more so than it had with most of them. She had known Aragaki-senpai for quite a bit of time...

"Yeah..?"

The redheaded woman purses her lips tightly, slightly quivering as she thinks for words to say. There really isn't much, is there? They all knew the dangers of doing what they were doing, but none of them actually thought someone would die from it. Last night had been a grim reminder, one that took her back nearly ten years. While it hadn't been exactly the same– it hadn't been like the night her brother had first summoned his persona– but they were similar enough.  
The glow of green moonlight.  
That pressure that something was wrong.  
The smell of blood in the air.

Even the injuries she'd sustained were familiar.

"Can you take your shirt off? I need to clean the wounds on your back." She flinches for a moment, but soon begins to quietly unbutton the once white shirt, feeling almost relieved as the blood soaked fabric is removed from her body. The burn scars on her back tingle a little at surprisingly cold air, and a brief shiver sends down her spine. Soon she feels disinfectant touch the open cuts on her back and sides, some graze over her scars and some that don't. Soon a sterile gauze is pressed against the wound, and a elastic bandage is used to secure it in place. It's tight, but at least it can be hidden.

Junpei-kun had a pretty bad cut on his face, and Yukari-chan had her legs sliced up.  
Sanada-senpai's biggest wounds were mental, but he'd dislocated his ankle and his hands were bloodied and bruised.  
Kirijo-senpai was doing okay, better than the rest of them. Her uniform was ruined, and she had a few gashes, but otherwise she was alright.  
And poor Koro-chan.. he'd reopened that wound he received fighting off a Shadow when they first met.  
Amada-kun hadn't shown his face after they came home. He had disappeared.

Overall, no one was having a good time.  
And why would they be?  
Someone had just died in front of their eyes.  
Someone important.

"There." Once those words are spoken by her senior, she instinctively moves to stretch her body, only to squeak in pain. It hurts.. but it's manageable. She moves away from the older woman, and turns around to face her, a small smile on her face.

This is her job.. isn't it? To keep everyone's morale high. "Thanks, Senpai. ..Are you going to be okay?"

The woman's red lips find their way into a frown, and her pretty eyes divert away– avoiding any sort of eye contact from her junior.

"...I'm doing better than Akihiko and Amada."

* * *

October 5th, 2009.  
Morning.

None of them wanted to go to school. Why would they, after such a terrible tragedy? But it would look too suspicious– too strange, for the entirety of the co-ed dorm to take a day off. It would stain their records if they didn't continue to pretend to be good students.

Gekkoukan's auditorium was filled to the brim with whispering students, all sitting in confusion as to what was going on. In front of them, on the stage, is an array of flowers and a large photo frame, the picture inside was of a dark eyed man– Aragaki Shinjiro.  
That picture wasn't recent, it was evident by the high school uniform that was just visible in the frame.  
It must've been a school photo from his first year.

She spots the Principal toddle his way up the stairs, prepared to make a speech, and her eyes begin to wander around the auditorium. She spots the class of 2-F first, her brother looked almost disgustingly apathetic, whereas Junpei and Yukari looked a little more than upset to the words being spoken around them. A little further down her own row– class 2-E's– she sees Fuuka, whose eyes were red and puffy from tears, and Natsuki's concerned expression.

Her eyes make their way to the seniors portion, and she sees Kirijo-senpai, steely but in a way that looked forced.  
...The only face she doesn't see is Sanada-senpai.  
Had he skipped?

The microphone buzzes loudly, and her attention snaps back to the old man up on stage, and he begins to drawl on in one of his long speeches.

"No words can express the sense of loss we feel as a result of this terrible tragedy." She can see her brother's jaw clench at those words. "He had a lifetime of opportunity ahead of him... As educators, we are to blame for ignoring his silent calls for help. We lost him to violence before we had a chance to help him realise his true potential... Forgive us... Forgive us for out negligence.."

He continues on and on, and she grips a handful of her skirt. So that was the 'cause' of his death. A bout of violence, huh.. Had they just gone for something that suited the deceased's rough and shifty exterior? ...Though, she isn't one to judge. She was a little frightened of him in the beginning, after all.. It hadn't taken her long to realise he wasn't anything near the scary delinquent that he presented himself as.

A little further ahead, she hears some of the third-years talking in hushed voices.

"Will this speech ever end..? I don't even know who this Aragaki guy was..."

"I heard he never came to school. ..Prolly just some punk." That one sighs. "Anyway, I gotta get home... I have to study for my mock-exam."

One of them turns around to talk to her brother and the others. "Hey, you guys know who Aragaki is?"

Immediately, Junpei leans forward, his eyes hard and filled with a twinge of annoyed. He looked about ready to bash one of these guys heads in...

"..What?"

"Wait, you're not seniors, so how would you know?" The senior scoffs. "Anyway, can you believe this? Scary, huh?"

Minato's shoulders heave up and down, and he speaks. "Go to hell."

"Damn... What's your problem?"

"Shut up.." The baseball capped teen stands up, his entire body quivering with anger.

"Huh? ..What're you doing?"

"I said shut up!"

She spots Ms. Toriumi, who scowls at the boy and quickly hisses at him. "Iori, sit down!"

The other teachers begin to gather around the group, but soon she sees Junpei click his tongue and reluctantly sit back down, and she can see Yukari murmur something to both of the boys, who look increasingly more frustrated and angry, before shooting a rather scary glare at the seniors.  
..She then turns her head back to Kotone's class and begins to talk to her.

"Have you seen Sanada-senpai today, Kotone?"

"I'm worried about him..."

"He was absent this morning... I wonder if he'll show up at all." The brunette looks down. "I hope he's okay.."

"..Me too."

* * *

 _October 5th, 2009._  
 _Lunchtime._

Her hands shake around the five rolls of melon bread she'd bought– having forgotten to make lunch in her disorientated state, but she stops moving as she hears a loud yell from the hallways a little ahead. Instinctively she runs, and she spots Junpei and the other's, but what shocks her is her brother.  
Tight around a senior's collar was her brother's hands, his eyes unreadable but his anger palpable.

Minato wasn't scary.  
He wasn't intimidating, he wasn't someone who you'd feel frightened by.  
He was a skinny teenage boy with hair that needed a cut.

And yet the other boy looked so terrified, and so worried for his safety that it was a little unnerving. So without even thinking she runs towards the four, pushing through the crowd of students who'd made their own little circle to watch everything go down, and she drops the food she'd bought with money out of her own pocket to pull her brother away from the other boy.

"Hey, hey, hey! Minato, stop it!" She turns back to Junpei, who stood their like a deer in headlights and hissed at him. "Help me out here!"

The goateed teen stares in shock for a moment, before quickly nodding his head in agreement and forcing his hands underneath the blue haired boy's arms and lifting him away from the senior. There's a struggle, as her brother makes an attempt to escape from the stronger's grasp, but soon gives up and is placed back on the ground, his eyes still like daggers on the elder boy.

"Just what the heck happened!?"

"You tell me!" The senior yells back at her, grasping at his neck as though someone Minato's size could actually do any real damage like that. "Dude just came up and punched me! Then he grabbed my collar, but he wouldn't say a damn word!"

The blue haired teen speaks up at those words. "You were talking shit about Aragaki! You didn't even know him, so what the hell would you know!?"

"I don't get why you're so angry, man! I just said the truth! Dude was a punk!"

"Shut up!"

She turns her red eyes–the fire in them finally matching an emotion that suits their colour– towards her brother.

"Hey! Zip it! He's not worth getting angry over, y'idiot!" And then she turns to the third-year. "Look, just keep your mouth quiet. You've got studying to do, right? Then stop talking trash about someone who isn't with us! You don't even know what you're talking about!"

Yukari and Fuuka quickly move to drag the two boys away, and she doesn't bother looking back on the people who'd crowded around hoping for a fight.  
Damn it... coming to school today wasn't a good idea.

* * *

 _October 5th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Dying light from the sunset streams in the auditorium, hitting the photo frame of Aragaki Shinjiro with it's gentle glow.  
It's silent, and peaceful.  
The door opens up, and a figure makes it's way in.

..Sanada Akihiko.

He smiles slightly as he jumps up onto the stage, and takes a seat on the long table in front of the photo of his foster brother.

"Yo." He stares the picture dead in the eyes as he talks, voice soft and a little coarse.

"I had the usual for lunch... Ramen tastes better when you're cutting class." His eyes divert away for a moment, focusing on the way the leather of his gloves scrunched up as his hands balled up. "..Make sure you invite me next time."

There's silence, and his eyes weakly close, his breath haggard and his shoulders heaving.  
What's he supposed to do..? Everything's gone wrong for him..

"...Say something, will ya?" He sighs. "Why are you always like that? You're so stubborn. Put yourself in my shoes for a change.."

Shinji was always so, _**so**_ bull-headed.  
Even as kids, he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. He did things his own way, no matter what.  
Their first fight was over Miki's birthday. Shinji had stolen her a toy from a store, and when Akihiko had found out, he'd punch his foster brother straight in the face and dragged him down to the store to return it, all while crying his eyes out.  
How childish.

"...You think it's the other way around, huh? I guess you're right... I was too obsessed with power..." He frowns. "Ever since I lost Miki, that's all I've cared about.. I thought if I was strong enough, I could protect anyone... But, I was wrong... And now, you're gone too..."

He's so afraid.  
Afraid of losing everyone he cares about.  
Mitsuru. Amada. Shinji. Miki.

..Kotone.

He's scared of that.

"I'm such an idiot." Without another thought, he slams his fists down on the altar, and the photo frame rattles at the sudden vibration. Shinji's face just stares back at him, and he can feel his stomach turn, pain filling his heart.

"In battle, there's always a chance of dying... I knew that!" He takes a shaky breath in. "But.. I was so focused on fighting that I didn't notice anything else! It didn't matter how tough I was! Look what happened!"

Tears begin to fall from his eyes, creating wet stains on the white cloth's fabric. His body begins to quake uncontrollably, and finally, a weak sob leaves his lips, and he sinks to his knees. He sits there and cries, cries like he did when he was little, ignoring the world around him as he finally begins to let what happened sink in, and he lets himself grieve.

It takes a while– he's not sure how long he was crying for, but he forces himself back onto his feet.

"...Yeah, I know... Crying won't change anything, will it..?" He wipes his face off, trying to rid himself of the sadness. "Alright, Shinji.. You watch from there with Miki. I still have things to do, right?"

There's a shift in his heart, and he places a hand over his chest.  
A brand new resolution.  
A brand new Persona.

 _ **...Polydeuces gives rise to Caesar.**_

He understands now, and laughs a little.

"I know that much. I can't carry this guilt forever.. I'm getting tired of it."

* * *

 _October 5th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

They'd gathered in the dormitory's lounge.  
Amada-kun wasn't there, but they all already knew what this was about.

"You all know the reason we're gathered here." Mitsuru sighs, clutching her arms tight. "We need to discuss to deal with Amada.. I've consulted the Chairman. Aigis, bring Amada here."

"Understood." Aigis nods her head, and begins to make her way up the staircase.

This is too much for any of them.. Fuuka looks down at her hands, her green eyes weak. "It's my fault.. When Aragaki-senpai told me he'd be late, I thought it was strange, but I said nothing.. If only I'd listened to my intuition.."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Fuuka." Yukari puts a hand on the girl's shoulder, and the two share a brief look of pain.

"It's not your fault. If anyone should've realised it, it should have been me." Kirijo-senpai's voice was so sad and upset sounding, so unnatural to hear from a woman who had always commanded an aura of authority.

"I knew this wasn't a game... But, I never thought it'd end up like this.." Junpei had taken things serious after what happened on the train, but it wasn't hard to tell he didn't think anything bad would ever happen. None of them had thought anything bad would ever happen. It was only a possibility in their minds.

Sanada-senpai leaned back on his chair, arms crossed against his chest. "There's no point dwelling on the past. Shinji's last words were 'This is how it should be'. He was one hell of a guy... He even faced death head on. That's why, from this day forward, I'll face things head on, too."

She smiles at him, glad that he seemed to be alright, despite his absence earlier in the day.  
He smiles back, and she nods her head.  
The last words that Aragaki said, those were the words of a peaceful man.  
They all need to do their best for him, too.

"That's cool, man.."

"Senpai.."

Aigis comes running down the stairs, her voice a loud cry. "Allow me to report! Amada-san is not in his room!"

"He's not!?"

"There are indications that the window has been pried open." The blonde quickly explains what she had seen upstairs, and the group all feels concern crawling up their spine. Ken was only a little boy– he was short and had a mouth on him. He'd probably get in trouble out there, this late at night...

"Amada-kun!"

Fuuka immediately stands up from her seat, and begins to run for the door. Her pace is desperate as she makes her way over, fiddling with the door-handle. But she's stopped by Yukari, who grabs her arms and forces her to stop in her tracks.

"Wait, Fuuka! Do you know where he is!?"

"Well.. no.. but we can't just let him go off on his own, right!?"

"So, where do you plan on looking?"

"I don't know, but we have to find him!" She clutches her chest. "He must feel so alone.."

Kotone stands up as well, and makes her way over to the group of girls. "We have to look for him!"

"B-But how? Where?"

"You of all people should understand!" As soon as the words leave her lips, she immediately regrets it, as she covers her mouth with her hands and shoots an apologetic look to the pair of girls who look at her with mixed expressions.

"Fuuka.."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."

The boxer makes his way to the three girls, sighing deeply. "Let Amada do what he wants. Bringing him back won't change anything... and we can't keep treating him like a kid."

"Akihiko..."

"It's his choice. He's the only one who can decide how he's going to live his life." He turns towards the other senior. "..The same goes for all of us."

...They have to let him decide what to do, huh...?  
Whether or not they like that decision, Sanada-senpai is right.  
He's a member of SEES– they can't act like he's a child when he fights by their side.  
He'll have to decide for himself.

* * *

 _October 6th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The back alley in Tatsumi Port Island had a new guest. Crouching in the shadows is Amada Ken, clutching his knees close to his chest. He was cold, and hungry. But he has no where to return to, and no money to buy food to eat. He can't go back to that dormitory after what happened, can he..?

A set of footsteps echo amongst the walls of the empty alleyway, and he instinctively looks up to glare.  
He didn't want anyone to look at him.  
But he's surprised to see Sanada-san.

"You look half dead." Ken doesn't respond. "What are you doing here?"

"..." Ken hums softly, but soon begins to talk. "When Mom died protecting me, no one would believe the real reason for her death... To this day, it's still on file as an unexplained accident. That's why I wanted to make it clear... I thought that's what she would have wanted... Maybe then she'd finally be at peace.. They said he died by some violent crime, right? No one knows the truth. ...Just like with Mom. And once again, I'll be left behind..."

Sanada kneels down in front of the boy. "The dead are never coming back. You have to accept that. ..You're on your own, now."

The man sighs.

"I'm not here to drag you back.. You can stay in this place until you die, if that's what you want. But, if you still have the will to fight, then come back and stand on your own two feet." With those words, the little boy watches as the man he idolised walks away from him, giving a slight wave over his shoulder.

He's left to think for himself. "...He's right.."

He pulls himself up onto his feet, his hands tucked into his orange sweater. "..I've known it all along; I've just been lying to myself.. I was consumed by hatred.. I couldn't bare the thought of being alone.. But.. that's exactly what happened.."

A small fist is slammed against the wall.

"All this time, I've just been running away.." He takes a deep breath. "I've made up my mind... I won't run away.. I swear.. that I won't run anymore. Aragaki-san.. I'll see it through to the end."

There's a little twinge in his heart.  
A new resolution.  
A new Persona.

 _ **...Nemesis has given rise to Kala-Nemi.**_

"I'll be okay now, Mom.. Goodbye."

* * *

fnisfns our first ultimate personas!  
im still trying to decide on an ultimate persona for kotone..  
i have it narrowed down to two things,,  
but i cant decide, haha.. if anyone'd like to help me,  
just tell me in the reviews or send me a PM!

and, haha, oh man grimreaper, yikes!  
i wouldnt be able to do that lol  
and! RIP our homeless man shinjiro  
would u like a tissue?  
haha

anyway!  
i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!  
i said this would be a kotone chapter,  
but.. it ended up being an 'everyone' chapter, haha  
well, we'll have the next one!

see y'all again!


	40. camaraderie (chapter 39)

fuck so.,,,  
i havent been very well these past few days so?  
lets see how writing goes

* * *

 _October 7th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

"Hey, Yukari?"

The brunette lowers her bow– surprise evident as she nearly lets go of the arrow she'd been aiming at a Shadow off in the distance. Her soft eyes turn towards her companion, who stands twirling her _naginata_ around in a rather nervous manner.

"Is this the time?" She pauses, realising her words may have sounded a little harsh. "...Never mind. What's on your mind, Kotone?"

"No you're right. I shouldn't be asking this now but, I couldn't get it off my mind." The red-eyed girl sighs deeply, shaking her head side to side, letting curls dance with each movement. "It's not only me who has noticed, right? About Minato. Don't you think he's been a little.. funny?"

Yukari genuinely needs to think about that. But now that it's been spoken out loud, it's almost strange that she hasn't thought about it before. Guess that's part of being siblings.. Their leader's little sister was completely right. He _**had** _ been a little off these past few days. Just two days ago he tried picking a fight with someone, yelling and screaming at one of their seniors due to what he'd said about Aragaki-senpai. They were all on edge after what happened– the boys especially– but she couldn't believe that their calm, cool-headed leader would do something like that.

But she had witnessed it first hand; she had watched him walk down the hallways with long and heavy strides, go right up to that loud-mouthed senior from earlier that day, and punch him right in the face. It hadn't even been a very good punch, fighting by Sanada-senpai's side meant you saw fantastic punches almost every day, and the punch that Arisato had thrown was weak and a little too light-handed.  
It hadn't stopped it from knocking surprise into the third-year, but it definitely wouldn't have done much damage.

Their leader's best traits in battle were his swordsmanship skills and his ability to switch Personas.  
That definitely excluded his bare fists.

"..You're right. I mean.. he did some pretty weird things in the beginning of the year, but that all kinda stopped after Yakushima, right? But.. I've never even seen him like this..."

The other girl tucks locks of chestnut behind her ears. "...Don't tell anyone, okay? But.. I'm kind of worried. Really worried. Even his leadership skills have been affected. I mean... this? What we're doing right now? Isn't our normal routine. Didn't it strike as odd that he ordered everyone to split up into groups and advance at their own pace? That's weird.. No matter what, I always felt like the reason Minato kept us in one group was for our own safety. He never ordered us to split up like this unless it was absolutely necessary."

"Oh wow, Kotone. I'm surprised you even noticed something like that."

"Meanie. I'm not that stupid." She huffs a little, but soon sighs again. "I only noticed before we split up.. Normally he'd keep the two of us out of the way of electric using enemies, right? But he didn't that time.. we would've gotten really hurt if Sanada-senpai hadn't stepped in."

She wasn't wrong about that. Thunder had crackled across the tower of Tartarus, and lightning made an attempt to strike down on the two girls only maybe ten minutes earlier. The two probably would've been badly injured if it wasn't for their resident electricity user, the boxer Sanada. Most of them only took less damage from attacks of their own elemental type– like Yukari and wind, or Kotone and her fire– but Sanada-senpai had recently begun to resist any and all enemy lightning.

Aigis had mentioned that two different Personas in their group had recently gone under a metamorphosis, citing Aragaki's death as the catalyst.  
Perhaps that was why Amada and Sanada had gained so much strength in such a short amount of time.

"I was the most worried about Amada-kun and Sanada-senpai, but..."

Kotone clung tighter to her _naginata_. "Maybe the one I should've been worrying about was Minato."

* * *

 _October 11th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Koromaru runs off ahead of the two girls, barking excitedly as he snaps at a bug flying high in the air and attends to catch it. By Kotone's side is Fuuka, who wraps her warm shawl closer to her body as the autumn air prickles at the bare skin underneath.  
The smaller girl laughs softly, her spring coloured eyes watching the albino dog's every movement.

"Koro-chan looks happy, like always." She stops for a moment when she notices a girl from their year. "Oh? Isn't that girl in our class?"

Not too far away from them, in a tracksuit, is one of the girl's from the volleyball club. Kotone had considered joining multiple times, but ultimately got intimidated by the size of the group– as well as her own schedule. Perhaps maybe next year she could join them... Or maybe not. She'd be a senior then, wouldn't she..? Teachers tended to advise against third years joining clubs. In fact, it seemed to be a miracle that Sanada-senpai and Kirijo-senpai were still in their respective clubs.  
The student notices them, and approaches with a soft wave.

"What a coincidence! Arisato-san, right? Walking the dog?" The dark eyes of the acquaintance turn to Fuuka. "Oh, and Yamagishi-san's here too."

"Oh, g-good evening."

"Oh yeah, you guys live in the same dorm, don't you?" The black haired girl states, surprised almost. Well, it was hard to forget that there was an entirely different dorm from the other two dormitories that the school had, and that it was a co-ed one. People only really talked about it in jealousy or in rumours. "No wonder you're together."

Auburn curls tilt to one side with her head. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going for a run. It's that perfect time of year; not too hot or too cold."

"I see. You're working pretty hard."

The three girls talk for quite some time– so much so that Koromaru returns back to them with a rather bored look on his little face, perhaps a sign that they'd been chatting for so long that he'd exhausted all of his playing options. She's finally able to remember the girl's name with the conversation; Iwasaki Rio, the girl everyone presumed was next in line for the girl's volleyball captain.  
She would be hard to forget, thanks to her pretty features but rather long legs and taller stature.  
...Maybe she should approach her sometime later.

"Bye-bye, Iwasaki-san!"

"Koro-chan's looking sort of bored, now. I suppose we should leave." The support member waves her hand at the volleyball player. "Goodbye, Iwasaki-san."

The two leave, and at first there's a somewhat awkward silence in the air.  
No.. calling it an awkward silence was incorrect. They just simply had nothing else to say.  
The shorter of the two begins to twiddle her fingers, before finally speaking up about half way back to the dorm.

"...I heard your conversation. With Yukari-chan."

The taller freezes, nearly forgetting about Koromaru's leash in her hands until he tugs on it lightly, trying to snap her out of it. She turns her gaze from the white shiba sitting in front of her, to the girl who gave them as much backup and help as she could during their missions.  
..Of course she could hear them.  
It was her job.. wasn't it?

"...Oh. Um."

"U-Um! I'm not trying to say that I disagree with you.. I was worried about Arisato-kun, too." Yamagishi frowns. "I wanted to tell our Senpai that it might be better for him to take a short break from being leader, but with exams coming up.. I didn't want to bother them."

"It's a good thing you didn't. He'd get really angry about that, I bet.. He doesn't show it, but he does a lot in order to fill his shoes as leader. It's only been recently that I've noticed a change in how he's been doing things." She absentmindedly continues their walk, wrapping the red leash around her hand as a distraction. "I knew he was close to Aragaki-senpai, but to be that.. destroyed by it.. I just.. don't know. Maybe I should stop pretending like I'm capable of understanding him."

"You are able to, Kotone-chan! Everyone's just going through a rough period.. But I'm positive.. If anyone'll be able to snap our leader out of it, it'll be you."

She smiles at the other girl, and gives a small thumbs up. Although she's not too sure about that herself, she's come to realise what her role in the group is.  
She may not be special like Fuuka or Minato.  
And she may not be ridiculously strong or smart like Sanada-senpai and Kirijo-senpai.  
But that was okay.  
Being something like that wasn't her role.

Wasn't her role to keep everyone's spirits high and shining bright?  
She'll have to continue doing her best.  
And in order to do that.. She'll have to make sure their leader was doing the same.

* * *

 _October 20th, 2009._  
 _Morning._

"Uh, okay, class..." Mr. Ekoda speaks with a rather bored, yet somewhat uncomfortable tone. Maybe it was because he was taking his job seriously thanks to the threat of the Kirijo Group. "I know you're busy lately, but you all remembered to do you homework, right? Just because you're not taking a literature class next year doesn't mean you can blow off Classic Lit. Hey, are you listening to me?"

Yamagishi sighs. Natsuki notices, and leans backwards on her chair, a confused eyebrow raised as she begins to whisper to her quieter friend.

"What's wrong, Fuuka? You look kinda down."

"Huh..?" The teal haired girl looks up in surprise, teal eyes meeting brown.

"Talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you."

She diverts her eyes. "...It's about Aragaki-senpai..."

"Oh.. Pretty shocking, huh..?" The tanned girl looks down at her hands, playing with strands of dyed hair. "I've never seen him at school, but I've seen him around town... I wonder if he really did get caught up in some kind of crime..."

"Some things you can never get back... I know that, from all the things that happened with my parents. I've sort of been avoiding the question... but is it okay for me to go on like this?"

"Parents, huh...? I can relate to that. But, you'll be okay, right?"

Natsuki reaches over, giving her friend a large ruffle of her short her, a big grin on her face. Fuuka can't help but smile back at her, soul at peace for only a few moments. To think, that only a few months ago, this bright beacon of light had been bullying her and locked her in the gymnasium.  
Well. Without that, she wouldn't have met anyone in SEES, would she?  
In a way, she's grateful.

"Moriyama, what are you waiting for? Come on up." The teacher's voice breaks their conversation.

"Yeah, yeah."

Ekoda sighs. "Don't you want to give your classmates a proper goodbye?"

She groans a little, and immediately stands up from her chair. With each step she feels eyes on her, and it's the first time she's felt a little uncomfortable about having so much attention. Soon, she takes her place at the very front of the class, next to their middle aged teacher. Her eyes scan the classroom, passing over each and every face. From the sweet and warm face of her friend Fuuka, to the piercing and watchful carmine eyes of Arisato.  
Without thinking, she nods at the girl– who raises an eyebrow in return.

...Well, she wasn't expecting her to understand it quite yet.

She coughs, and begins to speak.

"Uh, hello, everyone. I know it hasn't been that long, but I feel like I made some good friends. I'll remember each and every one of you, even after I transfer. Thank you." She turns towards the teacher, a scowl on her face. "..How's that?"

" _ **What!?**_ "

She flinches.  
That was Fuuka.  
That was the loudest she's ever heard her yell.

* * *

 _October 20th, 2009._  
 _Lunchtime._

The wind is a gentle breeze. The air was a little cold, but the sun beating down was just a little warm.  
Warm enough to keep them from wanting to go inside.

"You're a weird one, y'know?" Natsuki snorts. "The biggest bitch in school is leaving, and you feel sorry for her."

"You're transferring... and you didn't say anything..?"

"It's not like telling you would've changed anything. Why make us both depressed?" The brunette sighs, taking a few steps to the fence surrounding the rooftops' edge. It needed to be there, but it really obstructed the view. "Anyway, my dad's pretty sick.. And they say it'll take some time for him to recover.. We don't really have that much money, so we can't afford to stay here."

Fuuka breathes out, not saying a word– instead listening to every word, letting the truth sink in.

"Y'know, I still think you're crazy for being friends with someone like me.. I mean, even after you started hanging out with the kids from the co-ed dorm.. Heck, one of them's in our class, but you still stayed with me.. Well, like I said before... we're both in the same boat. My parents act like I don't even exist." She grips the fence tightly, feeling the cold poles between her fingers. "...I hate living at home. That's why I was so jealous when you moved into the dorm."

"Natsuki-chan.."

She turns back to look at the smaller girl. "But, Fuuka... Your house is nearby, and your parents are pretty normal. So, why'd you move?"

"Huh? Well... um."

"If you don't wanna tell me, that's okay. But.. if it's something that you and your folks can work out, then do it while you have the chance. It'll be a while before my dad's in any condition for us to have a heart to heart." Her friend doesn't respond, and she laughs weakly. "What am I doing? This isn't what I wanted to talk about."

She points to one of the stone benches, and the girls both sit down, side by side.

"Y'know, Fuuka... I used to think that every day was just the same. And I'm only saying this because it's you.. But, you don't get any second chances in life. If you accept the way things are, then you'll never change.."

"...Natsuki-chan..."

The tanned girl turns her gaze to the fence, and the pretty sight that lies beyond it. "This is the last time I'll see this view, huh.. I won't be in school next week 'cause I'll be packing, so... I guess this is goodbye.."

"No!" Small, pale hands grip tighter around her skirt, and finally, her voice is raised.

Natsuki laughs.

"It's okay. Everything will be alright."

The face that the smaller girl pulls makes her frown, and she pulls the sides of the other's cheeks into a smile.

C'mon, don't give me that look."

"But.."

"Hey, I'm not helpless, y'know. I've changed a lot since I met you. I'm gonna try and figure out what I really want now." She lets go, and nods her head, grin never leaving. "So, I hope you do the same."

"...What I... really want.." Fuuka looks down at her shoes, suddenly lost in thought. "I... I.. used to try and please everyone.. I was afraid of not being liked, so I did my best to fit in. But, I never really thought about what I wanted."

Another bout of laughter. "That is so like you, Fuuka. Well, I say, if they don't accept you for who you are, then screw 'em."

A soft giggle ruptures from the smaller girl's throat, and the two laugh for a little. Soon, Natsuki's face becomes serious, and she slips her arms around her friend in a hug. "...But, I like you... even if you don't like yourself."

"Natsuki-chan.."

The two stay like that for a little while, relishing in each other's comforting warmth. But they can't stay like that no matter how much they want to, and Moriyama pulls away.

"..Well, I better get going."

She lets go, and begins leaves the rooftop, without looking back once. Her head is high, despite how tough it must be for her. There's a soft buzz in the teal haired girl's pocket, and she quickly pulls out her phone and checks to see what it is. To her surprise, it was the girl who just left.

 _'Even if we're apart, we'll still be connected. We can always talk, right? Thanks for everything.'_

Her hands shake around her cell phone. She spends a little more time, going over the message once more, taking in what it truly meant. Soon, she raises her head and nods– for nobody but herself.  
She's decided.

"..'Even if we're apart, we'll still be connected'... It all makes sense now. I've always been so worried about how others are feeling.. That's why my power allows me stay connected with them.. I guess there is something I want after all. It makes me happy to see everyone else happy, too." She smiles. "So, I want us all to remain friends. The power to connect people, even when they're apart... My Persona has given me this amazing gift."

A new resolution awakens in her heart, and she feels as though the time to say goodbye has come.  
Not to Natsuki.  
To Lucia.  
With her new resolution, comes a new Persona.

 _Lucia has given rise to Juno._

Several footsteps begin to approach her, and she turns towards the entrance to the roof. To her surprise, she sees four figures– Yukari-chan, Kotone-chan, Aigis, and Iori-kun, all trying to squeeze through the doorway to meet her first.

"There you are."

"..Why, did something happen?"

"It is surprising to see you on the rooftop." Aigis states, though she quickly takes a look around– almost as if she was analysing the surroundings for danger.

"Nah, we were just wondering what you were up to." Junpei shakes his head.

She smiles. "Everything's okay now."

"...Okay?"

"I've made up my mind. I'll do as much as I can with my power." She nods. "For my sake, as well as for the sake of others."

"...Okaay.."

A small giggle leaves her lips. "Sorry. I guess that was sort of random, wasn't it?"

The three humans of her companions look at her like she's gone crazy, and even Aigis looks a little concerned. Junpei takes a step forward, his hands raised in concern.

"Uh, are you sure you're alright?"

She giggles again, and nods her head.  
Everything will be alright.

* * *

 _October 20th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Wild-duck Burger was filled with bustling students, all trying to order food and get seats.  
However, two girls only order fries, and take a single table.

The one clad in pink twiddles her thumbs, and begins to speak first. "H-Hey, um... So, remember when those guys stole my wallet, and you came to help me? And still.. I just blurted out stuff that made no sense.. I was so angry at myself. D-Did it make you mad?"

She has to think for a while about this one. So much happens in a week these days, that small events really didn't stand out too much for her. But now that it's been bought up, she does remember stopping a group of thugs while they were attacking Yukari. She remembers it quite clearly, now.  
..Mostly because she had screamed at the top of her lungs for someone to help.

"I completely forgot about it."

The other girl sighs out in relief, and smiles. "Oh, I see.. Wait, are you trying to be nice?"

She shakes her head, trying to insist that she really did forget.  
Because she did!  
Well, so long as Yukari's relieved, she really doesn't mind too much.

"I always just blurt out whatever when I'm thinking around you." The brunette chuckles. "I wonder why."

Kotone tilts her head in confusion. "Isn't it because we're friends?"

Or, at least, she thinks that's how it's supposed to go. She's never had friends that were close enough for her to blabber on and on like she does with everyone in SEES. All of her feelings, all of her thoughts... They had been bubbled up, in order to keep everyone else around her happy.  
She had always played a role– the 'Cute and Cheerful, but a little bit Stupid' little sister type. It was a role she'd discovered relaxed her brother's constant worrying, and made people around them believe that they were okay even though they were in dark times.  
She had forced herself out of her comfort zone; the little square of shyness, all so everyone around her didn't concern themselves.

...No, that's wrong.

It never was for 'everyone'.

It had always been for her brother.

...She can't think about this now.

Yukari looks at her, expression a mix between shock and disbelief. She soon mumbles a quiet _'I see..._ ' under her breath, nodding at the table. It's a little confusing to watch her do that, but it's also just a little bit funny. The girl continues to mutter to herself, going on about how she ' _gets it now_ ' and ' _that's how friends are_ '. She clearly wasn't expecting the answer she got. It was a little cute.

"...I think there's a part of me that's really unsentimental. I always keep thinking of myself as apart from others... To tell the truth, I didn't care about other people. But at the same time, I didn't want anybody to get involved with me, either." A smile cracks on the brunette's pink lips. "..But, it's kinda different with you. I don't mind how much you try to be my friend.. Actually, I look forward to it."

The girl leans on her cardigan clad wrist.

"I think, deep down... I wanted someone to understand what I was going through. Maybe I wanted someone to be sympathetic and say ' _Oh, you poor thing, you're doing your best..._ '. Maybe I wanted someone to try and take special care of me for once.." She snorts, her grin bright. "Not that I'd let anyone do it. I'd only want someone I like to do that for me."

The two girls laugh a little, and Kotone quickly states, "Well, we're kinda alike, aren't we? That's what you said."

There's a pause, and Yukari nods her head. But soon, she takes a look around, shock evident on her face.

"Yikes! I didn't mean to start babbling all this embarrassing stuff! At Wuck of all places!" She quickly picks up a fry, and jams it in her friend's mouth. "C'mon, eat your fries! We're leaving! Oh, but let's grab some anmitsu on our way back."

The auburn haired girl snorts out a laugh around her chip, and nods her head in agreement.

* * *

 _October 21st, 2009._  
 _After School._

Junpei promised to treat her to a meal. Of course, that just meant he'd pay for whatever she bought at Hagakure– but it was still sweet of him to do something like that. She had wanted to pay him back for taking her to the movies last month, going on and on about how embarrassed she was to have confessed her feelings for their senior in front of him like that; but he said she shouldn't worry about it.

He tells her to sit down at their usual table, and mentions that he'll be ordering the specials again– asking about what sides she wants. She always has the same answer for that, tamagoyaki and dumplings. He quickly orders, and sits back at their table.

..He's awfully generous today.. She wonders if something good happened between him and that Chidori girl.  
To be honest; she doesn't know how to feel about that girl.  
She was their enemy, a member of Strega. But at the same time, just mentioning her put Junpei in a good mood.  
Well, she couldn't do too much harm in a hospital. Especially without her Evoker.

Their food arrives, and she excitedly snaps her chopsticks apart, relishing in the smell from the steam rising. "Thanks for the food!"

He grins. "Dig right in! There's plenty there."

The two begin to eat, she hardly stops going at her food until some of the ramen burns her tongue a little, which causes Junpei to laugh a little at her, and for her to pout angrily at him. They talk about little things– he's come to ask her all the time about if she's made any progress with Sanada-senpai yet, only to be disappointed when she insists that she's not going to chase after him. He really was dead set on hooking them up.

"Well, it's a good thing you're in high spirits. Like always." Relief is evident in his voice.

"Were you worried about me?"

"Huh? Of course!" He pauses for a moment, a spark of realisation on his face. "Wait, does that mean you know about it, too?"

Her head tilts. "What? Wait, what do you mean?"

"W-Well.." She glares, and he begins to grumble. "Don't get mad at me! But, um, apparently... there are photos of you going around school. Oh, but, they aren't weird photos! Just of you in your gym uniform. There are other girls in them, but you're in the centre so.. I reckon whoever took 'em was aiming for you."

She feels a chill up her spine, and her voice becomes a whisper. "That's... disturbing."

"Yeah.. Even though school's a public place, it's like they're peeping on you." He leans back on his chair. "A guy from another class found it, and asked me if it was the girl from my dorm. I took his copy away though, but the original version is still out there."

She frowns. This is really worrying her.. And it's clearly troubling Junpei too. He was bad at hiding his concern for her. But soon, his expression considerably cheers up, and he leans forward on the table, grin wide.

"Still, you must be really popular. This kind of this isn't normal." He laughs. "Oh man, maybe I should be careful. Don't want them snappin' a picture of the two of us together."

The joking tone leaves his voice, and he looks at her with genuine concern in his eyes.

"Hey... be careful, alright? You're trying your hardest to do everything yourself.. But you can rely on us guys in the dorm." He ruffles her hair. "I'll handle it for you, don't worry about it. And if you think I can't handle it, just ask Sanada-san."

Her cheeks flush, the realisation that she must really trouble her friends making her a little embarrassed. Hearing the truth out loud– from Junpei no less, was definitely something she wasn't expecting.  
So, in a brief moment that lacks her aggressive behaviour, she nods.

"..Okay."

* * *

i cant believe this chapter was almost entirely  
"Gals being Pals" (trademarked)  
I LOVE U JUNPEI ur literally the best buddy on earth

also as for the question i asked last chapter  
dw bout it i figured it all out  
anyway im not very well and its past my bedtime so  
nini see y'all next chapter

happy 40 chapters


	41. promise (chapter 40)

fffff this chapter is the reason i have depression

* * *

 _October 22nd, 2009._  
 _After School._

"Man, if we keep eating ramen all the time, we might end up with some extra flab."

She stops slurping up some particularly delicious noodles to shoot a glare at Junpei, who grins at her widely from across the table. His cheek sits on his wrist, squishing his face just a little, but no matter what, she can still tell he's giving her such a shit-eating expression that it's pissing her off.  
She just hates that he's probably right.

"You'd better start being careful, you know?" He snorts out a laugh, and points at an accusing finger at her body as if to tell her to 'watch it'. She quickly reaches over to whack his hand out of the air. "You might be fine now, but you don't wanna be a tub in ten years, you know?"

She growls. "Shut it, jerk."

"So hostile... This isn't the first time you've thought of it, huh?" He smirks at her, and laughs a little when she rolls her eyes at him. He seriously isn't wrong. If they weren't doing strenuous physical activity in Tartarus all the time, she'd probably be crying in her room because of what she eats. "Still... Man, you ever wonder what we'll be doing in ten years? ..I don't really wanna think about it."

He looks to the side, away from her, a far off look in his eyes. She hates when her friends become like this. She hates when they doubt themselves and what they're able to do, doubting their futures. It made her so upset, because she believed in them.

"You'll be a great man." She states, her eyes serious.

He turns to her, a surprised but clearly happy look on his face. "You really think so? Hearing it from you definitely makes my day."

Junpei had a cheerful sort of happiness that was so palpable, that affected everyone around him. She didn't really know how to describe it– perhaps it was his ability to continue cracking jokes no matter what the situation. It was his prankster attitude, mixed with his surprisingly thoughtful side that made him someone she was able to confide in, able to trust with anything.  
...Would that make him her best friend? Would it be weird to ever tell him that?

She's not really sure.

He sinks into his hand deeper, a groan leaving his lips.

"Lately, when I do stuff like watch TV or read manga, I can't concentrate.." His chopsticks spin around in his hands. "It's like... I dunno.. I keep thinking, 'Is this how I should be!?'.."

A laugh.

"I wonder if there's anything only I can do.."

She wants to lean forward and tell him; tell him that there is something only he can do. The way he's able to lift spirits in a way that was different from her own, while she did it in a gentle and quiet manner, all smiles and aura.. He was able to do it with words. A joke here that would set off something silly someone else said, and then his reactions.. He had an ability to take their minds off of the worst of situations.  
All she could do with lighten the tension with optimism and cheer.

"Your terrible jokes?"

"Gee, thanks. That's helpful." He sighs. "I mean, Yukaricchi's got her response to my jokes down to a science. She delivers a dope-slap that feels like an icy dagger to the brain.."

The two laugh. "Well, she's been dealing with you for a long time, Junpei."

"Yeah, yeah." He looks away. "..When I think about this Persona stuff, it's like I have a personal mission... But, I don't understand it at all.. Maybe I don't even have a mission like that, and that's what I'm afraid of. I've got all these pent-up emotions that I can't figure out... Do you have anything like that? Like, do you ever think about what you can do..?"

"Of course."

"...I see. I mean... You don't seem like that at all. I guess that's another thing that's amazing about you, Kocchan.." He looks at her seriously. "..What do you think about?"

"My purpose. So.. the same stuff you do. I'm scared.. Scared of being left behind." Kotone places her chopsticks down on her bowl, and begins to fiddle with her sleeves. "It's like.. I'm not special at all. Fuuka-chan has the ability to help everyone in a way no one else can, Yukari-chan can not only fight and heal, but she's so pretty and talented too... and Minato.. Minato's got this entire special ability unique to only him. I guess I just.. feel inferior when compared to everyone else in our group."

Rose coloured lips part weakly, trying to find more words to describe her feelings.

"If I'm being honest to you... I'm jealous of him. Of Minato." He looks at her with shocked eyes, and she can't help but laugh. "Surprising, right? As a child, I was one of those kids who was super shy around anyone who wasn't family. So when we lost that, and Minato became a shell of his former self, I realised that I couldn't keep being scared of people. I had to stop being afraid.. and I had to protect my big brother. I think it helped that I didn't remember much from the accident.. and that I hit my head during the crash."

She sighs.

"I did everything for him. I didn't care, initially anyway, that my grades were low, or that I didn't have any friends. Because we had each other, and that was all we thought we needed." It feels so strange to share this information, but she's already on a roll... "But in our first year of middle school, everything changed. That year, we were sent to live with a particularly nasty family. It was obvious they were only taking care of us for the financial benefits. The mother in particular.. She'd go on and on, 'Why aren't you like your brother!?'.. 'You have to earn your place!'.. I became jealous because he was so perfect in their eyes. But because he didn't like them that much either, I never tried fixing myself. I continued harbouring that jealousy, that sense of inferiority, all the way up to when we joined SEES."

"Eh? Even now?" His question earns a nod of her head.

"Yeah. Because I felt like he had his own place cemented in from the beginning, while I still fumbled around, searching for my own. It was really bad when I couldn't summon my Persona.. I felt useless. And even after that, I was weaker than everyone else.. So I just felt like I was weighing everyone down. It's why I keep training so much, because I'm scared of losing my place in SEES. I love it so much, I love everyone so much.. And the idea of being left behind by him and everyone else frightens me."

A soft, bell like giggle. "But recently, I've begun to realise.. I don't need to worry about that. Because even though I'm a little stupid, and a little clumsy.. There's still a place for me. I don't have to be super strong or smart, I just have to continue being me. Don't you think my Persona kind of reflects that? It's another side of me, after all. It can fight and heal, but it's main strength is being supportive. In backing everyone up– not in the way Fuuka-chan can, but in a way that can change the tides of battle. I'm like.. SEES' personal cheerleader, or something! That's why I'll keep doing my best, because even I have a job that only I can do."

It's strange. She's had her mind on this for so long, but now that the words have left her lips, she feels at peace. Like the demon haunting her mind about it, all the emotion she's kept hidden, has finally left, and she's able to move on. And the face that Junpei makes is one that makes her smile– everyone joked about him having no attention span, but he's managed to listen to her ramble on and on about herself for goodness knows how long and still keep on top of it.

"That's why, Junpei.. I'm sure you'll find your place soon."

She feels a little twinge in her heart, and something tells her that she's been waiting for it.  
A new resolution.  
And a new Persona.

 ** _Urania has given rise to Astraea._**

She snorts out a laugh, and quickly finishes up her noodles. He laughs too, seemingly understanding why she's laughing. It was so funny– Junpei was someone she could share these sorts of things with because they were so similar. She could open up to him without being judged for emotions like jealousy and inferiority, because he felt the exact same way. They were both idiots looking for their places in the world, who had found solace in a group of fighters so much better than them.

..She hopes Junpei will be able to discover is importance soon, too.

"Why are we being so serious at Hagakure of all places!?" He snickers, and begins to eat his food too.

"You started it!"

She'll continue doing her best.  
She's going to be entirely truthful, to everyone, and to herself.  
And if Minato's mental state isn't well enough for him to become a leader, than she'll do her best to bring him back from the brinks of hell.  
If SEES finds itself in it's darkest hour, unable to figure out their purpose, she'll be their light in the dark.

..She promises.

* * *

 _October 23rd, 2009._  
 _After School._

Naganaki Shrine was their favourite place to go together, her and Sanada-senpai. They hadn't run there like normally, they hadn't chatted the entire time either. It had been a quiet walk, and they just so happened to wander there. They were silent until he spoke up, his voice a little more than a whisper, but less than his regular speaking voice, filled with confidence.

He just sounded.. lost. "Thanks for coming today..."

"I'm happy to be with you." She states the truth.

"I-I see.. Why are you so..?" He's at a loss due to her words, and it shows on his face. Expression scrunched up in a mix of confusion and sadness, she swears there's a tinge of fear there as well. "..If.. If you don't mind, can I talk to you about something?"

"I don't mind at all!"

"I haven't been able to get it all arranged in my own head, though.." He speaks slow and a little weak, and she begins to lead him to a park bench, where the two take seats. "...I've told you a little before about.. Miki. My younger sister, who I couldn't save... I was the only person she had. There weren't any kids around her age at the orphanage, so she didn't have any friends. She'd always tag along after me, and call me 'big bro' all the time..."

He bites down on his lip, and she worries about him drawing blood.

"Why... did she have to die? She was so small... She never knew her parents' faces, or had good food to eat, or got to have any toys... She had nothing.." She feels like crying, listening to the despair and anguish in his voice. Because she knows, despite her wish to cheer him up, she understands that the loss of someone so close like that is impossible to get over by just spewing words of positivity. So she's only able to listen. His lips quiver, his eyes focused on the ground in front of him, seeming like he can't bare looking at anything else. "Isn't there some saying... like about how being alive is a kind of sin?"

"That's not true!" She cries, and without even thinking, she takes his jaw in her hands, pulling his face to look her in the eyes. "Life is precious... Every single life. The world is only cruel, and it steals things that are pure away. Living isn't a sin, Senpai.."

"Kotone.." He looks ready to cry, and she only shares his sentiment. "She's dead and gone... I understand that, and I've accepted it. But.. I can't do anything about the anger and sadness I feel... I have to live with that for the rest of my life..."

She wants to tell him to stop shouldering the world by himself, that she's going to be there to support him– that they're all going to be there to support him, but she can't find the right words for it. She instead, lets go of him, slowly pulling her hands away from his skin. His grey eyes, glossy with tears divert away from her, and his hands reach up to mask the pain he was feeling.

"Here's what I wanted to tell you... I thought.. I wanted you to help me bear that burden. I know that it's terrible of me to ask this of you... I'm sorry." She wants to hug him tightly, tell him that she'd always be there for him. It's so ridiculous that she's afraid of saying that to his face. She'd never thought he'd tell her something like this, and it only confuses her.. The reason she was so scared was because she was afraid of ruining their friendship, but why.. why does he want her to help him with something so serious?

"I.. might be seeing Miki in you." He confesses, but there's something to his voice– like he doesn't believe it himself. "But if that's not what it is, then these feelings I have..."

He pauses, and stands up from the chair. He doesn't face her, and it seems like he has no intention of finishing his sentence. Maybe he never had an ending for it. She just wished that he would let her help him. He spoke as though he thought he was only a burden to her, even though it could only be further from the truth.  
She wished she had the confidence to tell him how important he was.

"...Why don't we start heading back home?"

Admittedly, she doesn't want to leave. Her lips purse slightly, before opening up to talk again. He looks at her the second she begins to speak, and all she wants his for him to keep his eyes on only her. "Hey, Senpai...? I may not be the strongest person around, or the most talented.. But I'll always be here for you. You don't.. You don't have to do everything alone. I'll take on that burden with you.. We can share it, together. You don't have to think you're bothering me for asking me to do help you.. Because I always will."

"I... You..." He turns his gaze away, and she swears he's turning as red as an apple. "...We should get back."

She smiles, only a little, and nods her head.  
..She thinks she got through to him.

* * *

 _October 24th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Yukari sits in the school council's room– busy working on filling out papers for the Archery Club. It had been empty when she had first arrived, so she'd presumed that it was fine for her to take a seat and finish the work she'd been given by their club advisor. It wasn't anything too big, but it would be a pain to fill in where the club practiced, so this was much easier.

The door slides open, and a familiar head of wine peeks through the door, taking notice of the brunette sitting down– and decides to enter with confident footsteps.

"Oh, sorry. No one was here, so I figured it'd be okay."

"It's rare for you to be here." Kirijo-senpai remarks, her eyebrow raising in surprise. "...Is it for Archery Club?"

"Yes. The teacher asked for a report.." She quickly explains.

"I see... Then, you must be busy."

"Um, not really. At least not compared to you.."

Mitsuru takes a seat, not too close to Takeba but certainly not too far away. Just close enough for them to have a personal conversation. For a brief moment, Yukari runs the words through her head, trying to figure out whether or not speaking her mind was a good idea.  
But she soon speaks up.

"Um... I wanted to ask you something."

"Yes..?"

Her lips purse tightly, before parting with the question on her tongue. "Senpai... Why did you decide to fight?"

"Well, I... I guess you could say it's my way of atoning for the past."

"I see. Well, in my case, I don't really have a reason anymore, if I'm being honest. I know the whole story about my father now. But, I was thinking maybe I could erase the mistakes he left behind..." She shrugs, turning her gaze away from the redheaded woman sitting across from her. "...I guess I should have thought about this earlier, huh.. Why didn't I question myself sooner?"

"...What's done is done." The words that her senior states are so plain and simple, and they make so much sense... But still, Yukari just doesn't feel satisfied with that answer. It just didn't sit right with her, to not have a goal– a reason, while everyone else clearly fought for their own purposes.

"But, it seems like everyone has their own reason for fighting... In the end, defeating the Shadows is all that really matters, isn't it?" Her pen glides over the paper, smooth and calm letters that contrast with the words leaving her mouth. Her eyes leave the paper sitting beneath her pen, and move to her senior. Carmine curls that glimmered in the afternoon sun, rose coloured lips that commanded authority with just a single word... Trying to fight with this woman would be insane.

..She doesn't understand why she would always argue.

A thin, burgundy eyebrow cocks up. "...What are you trying to say?"

"...I'm not exactly sure. It'll all be over after the next full moon... but I'll probably still be trying to figure it out."

"...Maybe so. But, at least we'll be able to return to a normal school life." Mitsuru sighs, and turns her gaze towards the doorway. She can almost hear the footsteps echo along the empty hallways. "The Student Council members will be here soon. If you want to talk later, let me know."

"No, that's okay. Thanks for listening."

* * *

October 25th, 2009.  
Daytime.

"Isn't getting beef bowls on your days off great?" Sanada-senpai laughs, and she makes a mental note that he's acting a lot more normal than he had been the other day. She's glad he's not too upset. "I prefer this to going to a cafe."

She nods her head in agreement. "I don't mind cafes, but definitely! Beef bowl is the way to go!"

"Well, the only other restaurants I know of are fast food places and ramen... Though, that's nothing to brag about when I keep telling people how important their health is." He shrugs, and she can't help but giggle. She's the exact same. Sure, she could cook, but she still only knew of restaurants like Wuck and Umiushi. "Maybe I'd be different if I could cook like Shinji.. Seriously, I wish he had taught me a few recipes."

"Me too.. He worked miracles cooking for everyone."

"Right? I wish he'd taught me some of his tricks... Oh. Come to think of it, he did teach me one." Her eyes light up in curiosity, and he chuckles a little at the sight. "..'A delicious way of eating cup ramen'... Do you know what you're supposed to do?"

She giggles a little. Aragaki-senpai would teach Sanada-senpai something like that, wouldn't he? He probably had doubts at his foster brother's cooking abilities.. That's funny. She thinks for a little moment, trying to figure out what goes best with ramen.

Oh! She knows! She always orders it with her ramen at Hagakure!

"You put an egg in!"

He laughs.

"That's definitely one way. But there's a way to make it taste even better. Listen to this.." Kneeling down just a little so only she can hear, he tells her the secret. "You heat up sesame oil and put it in."

She pouts, a little disappointed. "That's it?"

"..What's with that look? That's all there is to it." He folds his arms. "You can't put the oil in while it's still cold. Shinji'd get angry if you did that. Though I really don't think it makes much of a difference.."

She's glad– he's having fun today. Realisation strikes her, and she quickly digs through her bag. Earlier that morning, she'd made some sweet fries. She knows he doesn't like sweet things too much, so she tries to dial down the flavour on these.. She was hoping they could share them after their usual meal.

"Right! Here y'go! Sweet fries!" She holds out the small package for him. "I made these this morning for us! Think of it like.. dessert!"

"Oh man, how'd you know I like these?" He asks, quickly opening up the little bag. She's surprised– she didn't know he liked them at all. She'd just thought about recipes she'd made in the past and chose the least sweet one for him. He takes a bite, and holds another one out for her to have. She takes it, and begins to chew idly on the dessert she had bought them.

"It's delicious. Man, I used to love these as a kid.. Thanks, Kotone."

Her free hand waves in dismissal. "It's okay! I like cooking things, after all.. Hey, after the next full moon.. I'll make some pancakes for us."

"Sounds good." Sanada smiles. "I'll be looking forward to it."

* * *

They walk around absentmindedly, chatting over little things that have happened in the past few days. It seemed like neither one wanted to mention what had happened only two days ago. So instead, they spoke about anything other than that. Well– it was just easier for the both of them. Her heart was a mess, and she wondered if his was as well. She just didn't understand what was going through his mind, and she felt as though he didn't know either.

She thinks for just a moment, and she begins to talk.

"Recently.. my mind's been a lot clearer." She begins, and he turns to listen to her. "I realised what my place was. I don't need to be strong, or super smart. I'm happy just being me, helping out everyone in SEES. You and Junpei have helped me realise that. Everyone's helped me realise that. I used to only live for my big brother– because I was afraid of being left behind, since he was so much more talented than me.. I was so focused on that past, a past of only looking out for my brother that I stopped thinking about myself, and I began to feel inferior, and weak."

She laughs.

"But, I realised. I don't need to be special. Because I have a place now. It's with everyone in SEES. Yukari-chan, Fuuka-chan.. Junpei and Aigis.. Amada-kun and Koro-chan.. Kirijo-senpai.. and you, Sanada-senpai! I have everyone, including my brother. I'm not going to be left alone. Even if I can't compete with him.. I still have something that only I can do. So it may not be as special as.. having multiple Personas, but it'll help me reach forward for the future."

Kotone turns towards her senior, her cheeks flushed and a grin on her face.

"I don't have to worry about the past anymore.. because worrying about it will only drag me down! And, I know.. with everyone at our sides, Minato wont fall back into a pit of darkness. I don't have to continue being alive for only him.. I'm able to be here for everyone! And.. I think he understands that. ..Or, he will, anyway." She sighs. "He's going through a rough period now.. So it's my job to bring him back. To bring our cool, calm leader back. But, I get this feeling.. We won't be able to get over it unless he faces those people.. Strega."

He frowns. "They'll probably try stopping us again.. I don't know what they'll do this time, but I doubt it'll be good."

"Yeah, I thought the same.. I think everyone else has an idea like that too. They seem bent on stopping us from ending the Dark Hour.. Which means.. they'll try again. I doubt they'll stop until they get what they want."

"But we can't let that happen. We won't."

"Right!"

* * *

HOO BOY! i really hope i pulled this chapter off ok,,  
the scene for kotone's ultimate persona was rattling in my brain for ages  
because what was leading up to it was ultimately her finding her place  
and understanding that she was jealous and getting over it– albeit a little slowly  
i decided that the way to bring that resolve around was thru the two  
people she was closest to  
akihiko and junpei  
in particular, i used one of the scenes in junpeis sl for the moment,  
because it fit in really well with her character  
the platonic love and friendship that the femc and junpei have is one of my fav relationships  
and the emotions of inferiority and jealousy  
that they shared was the easiest way to bring out that resolve

as for akihiko– a big part of akiham that i love is that they always look onto the future and enjoy the present  
they're each others ray of light, and even though we're not quite to the point where they realise it yet  
it'll happen soon, trust me!

so! now that kotone's ultimate persona has been revealed, lemme tell u a little abt my choice!

i decided on what was my original choice, the greek goddess astraea  
she was the virgin goddess of purity, innocence and justice  
she suited kotone quite well, in my mind!

the celestial virgin, she was the last of the immortals to live amongst humans during the golden age  
which was one of the old greek religion's five deteriorating ages of man  
she abandoned earth during the iron age, fleeing from the wickedness of humanity,  
to become the constellation of virgo  
she was fair and just, and no wars occurred during her time with man

this role, as a fair and just maiden, mediator to the heavens,  
who fled the earth for the stars when humanity became dark, suited kotone.

well, i'll leave thoughts to my decision up to you all!

so, i hope you all enjoyed this chapter!  
my notes at the end of this became quite long, so im sorry!


	42. connect (chapter 41)

aaaaaaa at the time im writing this im freezing my ass off  
its so cold here! im a weak little girl,, im sorry if this ones a bit short

* * *

 _October 26th, 2009.  
Evening._

"What's wrong, Akihiko?"

He raises his head with surprise– meeting eyes with Mitsuru. He didn't realise that he seemed to troubled, to the point that Mitsuru of all people would ask him if he was okay. One of the traits they shared was their blunt attitude, harshness being like their second nature.  
The lounge room was practically silent before the redhead spoke up, only the two being left; everyone else having gone to bed. She had been filling out some papers, what he presumes are either for the Student Council or for the chairman, but it seems like she's got so little work left that she's able to ask him if he's doing alright.

"..Was I making a face?"

"You looked troubled."

"Oh.. Do you mind if I vent, then?" She nods her head, and places her folders down on the table between the two. He frowns, and tries to figure out where to start with what he's thinking. "...It's.. really odd. I used to enjoy spending so much time with her, but now.. My chest hurts when I'm around her.."

"Kotone?"

"...Yeah." He sighs. "Whenever we'd hang out, I would always feel like I could be comfortable. I used to feel that way, at least.. Now, I always feel like I'm on edge.. I get this pain in my chest, and I can't rest easy.."

She chuckles. "I see. Why don't you confront her about it?"

"Confront.. her?"

"Tell her. I'm sure she'll have the answer you're looking for."

He frowns– but admittedly, there's nothing else he can possibly do.  
It's truly the only option he has now.  
In order for everything to go back to normal.. He'll have to talk to Kotone about the feelings he's got.

"..Alright then."

* * *

 _October 27th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Junpei asked for a 'favour'.

Her eyes had narrowed and suspicion coated her voice, but she agreed to help him out anyway. Well, she owed him, after all. He always listened to her problems, so it was the least she could do to listen to what he wanted.  
So he'd dragged her down to the library, an apologetic look on his face as he slapped his books down on the table and began to fiddle with his pencil case, pulling a mechanical pencil out and placing it down on the paper in front of them.

It wasn't the favour she was expecting him to ask, but she doesn't mind trying to help him out with this sort of stuff.

He bows his head down low. "Man, I'm sorry. I just can't figure this homework out by myself..."

"Ask me anything." She's definitely not the best at studying– but at least she could memorise. Surely, surely she could do something, _anything_ Junpei had in this book.

"Awesome! Seriously, I don't even know what I don't know anymore." She giggles, and he clutches his head, clicking the end of his pencil and shoving the lead back in. "I've been avoiding math ever since I started going here. All this 'vector' and 'trigonometric ratio' stuff sounds like magic to me.."

A snicker. "It does sound like magic! Or, maybe the name of a Persona?"

"Oh man, I can totally see Minato summoning something with that sort of name."

"Right, right!"

The two stop their laughing over a silly joke– and get back to what's at hand, the work sitting in front of them. She groans painfully at the sight of equations with English letters, and he sinks further into his arms, clearly fed up over everything. Maybe they should've asked one of their senpai to help out.. Kirijo-senpai got the highest grades, and Sanada-senpai wasn't too far off.  
She'd normally just ask Minato, but.. he's clearly not in the right mental state to help a pair of idiots with studying.

He slams his fists down on the table, a determined look on his face. "Alright, I'm gonna do this today! I'm gonna overcome my fear of math!"

"You're on fire!"

"Just watch me get through this!" He cries, sitting back down and picking his pencil up. "...And help me out one in a while!"

She nods in agreement, and watches as he dives into his homework with a great deal of confidence. She can feel the eyes of the librarian on her back, so she begins to cheer him on in a quiet voice– not wanting to get either of them in trouble. The lead scratches against the paper, and her arms pump high into the air each time he gets a question somewhat correct, and a small clap each time he manages to write something in.

"So the circle inside triangle ABC where AB equals AC is..." To her surprise, he's taking his homework seriously.

"If that's the case, then... the answer is.. forty!" He scribbles the final number onto the paper, and searches for his next question, only to find nothing. "...Huh? Am I done?"

"You sure are! Congrats, Junpei!" She begins to clap her hands, and Junpei excitedly jumps up and down– the combined noise of their celebrations bringing in students from the library committee and several teachers.

"Whooohoo! I did it! I got through all of it!"

"Shh!"

"S-sorry.." They share a look and giggle.

"Well done!" A thumbs up.

"Whoa, I could get used to hearing that.." He smiles gratefully, and she laughs. "Hey, thanks. You were a really big help."

She's genuinely happy for him. After all, accomplishing all of his math homework in such a short period of time like he had was something to be proud of. Even she found it difficult to do something like that, especially when it came to the complex mathematics that they'd worked on. She'd always needed to take breaks or switch what she was working on.

"I was... thinking about trying hard for once. I always thought that stuff like math would never help me in the future.. But, I noticed that it might be important, even if you never use it. It's like... how do I put it... What matters is how you put your time to use. I don't think I can start lecturing you on how to live your life or anything... I mean, there's nothing wrong with just doing what feels good in the moment... But in the end, it doesn't satisfy me, and it bothers me even more. Yeah.. I guess I've just got anxiety or something." He shrugs, and begins to pack his things up. She follows along, but continues to listen to what he was speaking about. "But I think I figured it out recently. I haven't found anything yet, but I get the feeling that I will, someday. ...As long as I'm with you and everyone else. I guess.. f-friends are important, after all.."

"I think I understand."

"R-Really?" His cheeks flush. "I totally thought you were gonna start laughing at me.. haha.."

He's so embarrassed, it makes her a little embarrassed too.

"You're always doing your best, all the time. It made me want to act like that." He has a tone in his voice, one of awe and yet it had a certain proudness. "I mean, you study, you're in clubs.. Aren't you on the health committee, too? I think that's amazing."

It's rare for Junpei to sincerely praise anyone like this. The way he thinks about her makes her heart sing– this was the sort of friendship she really needed. She needed friends like she had made in SEES, ones who she supported and who supported her back.

"So..." He looks over her shoulder, confusion in his eyes. "Hey, that guy over there... Is he a friend of yours?"

She turns around, but there's nobody behind her. Immediately, her skin begins to crawl in fear, and she clutches her school bag tight to her chest.

"..Huh? He hid." His eyes narrow. "...He was looking your way. Looked like he was holding something... A camera!?"

He jumps to his feet, and begins to give chase.

"Wait, I'm coming too!" She cries, pulling herself up off the chair.

He stops at her voice, turning his head back to respond.

"Huh!? It's okay, you stay here!" He turns to follow, but there was nobody there. "Damn it.. He got away.."

"Oh no.."

"Well, I've seen his face, so it's okay. You just leave him to me."

Her lips quiver for a moment. "..Make sure you get him good."

"Huh? Oh yeah, leave it to me." He wags his finger in front of her face, a grin to ease the fear of what had just happened. "But, violence isn't always the answer, missy. Let's just go home. Sorry to keep you here so late... Try not to go home by yourself from now on, okay?"

She nods her head slowly, and the two get up and begin to return home.  
She's scared.  
Why was someone doing this?

* * *

 _October 27th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

 **"Good evening."** Pharos. The blue haired teen moves his gaze from the spot on the ceiling above him, to the little boy sitting at the end of his bed. Almost out of habit, he pulls himself up into a sitting position. **"It'll be full moon again in just another week."**

 **"At last, the twelve one... Are you ready?"**

The boy smiles simply as he gains no verbal response– and doesn't seem to have any complaints as there's not even a move from the older boy to imply that he was being listened to. Perhaps there was this one-sided understanding for Minato's emotions that Pharos had. He always seemed to know a little more each time he showed his face, but always spoke in cryptic rhyme.

 **"Regardless of how long it's been, a lot has happened, hasn't it?"** Minato nods his head, but doesn't say a word. What's the point of speaking, anymore? It's strange.. Becoming close to the people who are 'real', the ones who sleep in the rooms around him, was something that he'd rather die than do, but.. It wasn't as though this little boy was reality, was he? He only ever appeared in the Dark Hour.. And on that fateful day in April.. Kotone had never seen him.

What was stopping him from assuming that this little boy, Pharos, wasn't ever a real person? When had this little boy started to occupy his mind? Was it after the accident? Was this little boy some form of a coping mechanism? There was a paranormal aspect to this child he didn't understand.  
The contract.  
Igor and Elizabeth.  
Everything was connected.

But he hated presuming that the role he had was 'special'.  
He just wanted to live a normal life, but the way everything had set up this year..  
It was like it had been planned.  
Like it was destiny.

 **"But, it's a bit too soon to be reminiscing. How about I come see you when it's all over? Be careful now."**

His lips purse into a frown, the the little boy turns ringed blue eyes onto him. There's a certain worry in those strange eyes, eyes that felt untrustworthy, but he trusted all the same. Yes.. Pharos felt 'dangerous', like something he couldn't turn his back on, else he'd be stabbed. Yet he trusted the little boy, trusted him more than he trusted himself.

 **"Is something wrong?"**

"..."

 **"..You don't have to tell me, but I'd like to know."**

"... Someone.. I cared deeply for.. has passed on." He explains it slowly, and he briefly wonders if the little boy understands what those words mean. However, the little boy frowns deeply, sorrow on his face.

 **"I see.. People pass away every day in this world. It had been like the changing seasons for me.. But now that I have you, a friend... The idea of someone I care for passing on is.. painful."** The boy continues on, his eyes lowered in a painful, yet somewhat wistful expression. **"Though, I don't know whether or not my friendship's a good or bad thing for you.. Perhaps you think of it in this way? In the end, people can only live alone.. It's better to avoid connecting with others, since it will only mean that you'll be hurt when you lose them."**

He speaks the truth.  
He had only ever gotten close to his sister.  
And yet, he made a point of keeping her at arms length.  
She was frailer than he was– not mentally or physically, but emotionally.  
He was afraid of losing her too.

 **"No matter how precious something is, once it's gone, there's nothing left of it. In which case, you'd rather have nothing from the start."** The boy points out everything that Minato believes in with a certain matter-of-fact tone. He can't deny anything– it's all the truth, after all. **"You don't need anything. You don't want anything."**

The truth.  
He doesn't need love, or affection.  
This life.. He doesn't need that, either.  
But he continues to live– his reasons as shallow as 'because I must'.

He clutches the bedsheets.

The boy smiles. **"Lately, there's something I've begun to feel very strongly. The end I've spoken of may be what some call 'The Fall'."**

...The Fall.  
What a befitting name for the end of humanity.  
Yet there's this emotion he has..

Like he can't let it happen.  
Like he wont let it happen.

 **"** **And it's nearly here."**

* * *

 _October 30th, 2009._  
 _After School._

The rooftop of Gekkoukan High.. Kotone's not sure why Akihiko bought her here. He hasn't said anything about their reasoning. The sun was surprisingly low in the sky, probably thanks to the fall season coming to an end, and winter making it's grand entrance. They only had a little less than a week until the next full moon, but with how peaceful the world was– she wouldn't ever had guessed that their had been so much fighting going around.

"There's no one here.. That's a pity, since the wind is so nice right now." He takes a deep breath in, a smile on his face.

"Do you come here often?" She asks, curiosity in her eyes.

"No, not so much lately." He shakes his head, and begins to take a look around the roof– pointing to the small building where the entrance was. "... Shinji used to come up here when he skipped his classes. He'd fall asleep, so I'd come up here when my club activities were over to get him.."

He laughs, nostalgia in his eyes. She wonders how much he misses Aragaki-senpai. She couldn't ever imagine losing her brother, the idea made her feel sick to her stomach. And that's what Aragaki-senpai was for Sanada-senpai, right? Even if they weren't blood related– family didn't need that. No matter what, they were definitely brothers, weren't they.  
Sanada-senpai had lost everything.  
His little sister.  
His foster brother.

She wished she could do more to support him.  
To let him know that she was going to be here for him.  
But she's scared.

"You can see out into the distance from here.. It's so far that my eyes start to hurt trying to see it all.."

The pair take a seat on one of the benches, and she makes an attempt to not sit too close.

"You remember the stuff I told you about my sister?" She nods her head slowly, and he begins to explain why he'd bought that up. "...I'm tired of losing what's important. I thought it would be better not to let things get too important than to risk losing them... But lately, I don't think so."

He stares her straight in the eyes, slate coloured eyes meeting rose.

"If I want to avoid that feeling.. I have to work to protect what's precious to me. And that means everything precious... including you." There's a strength and determination in his gaze, resolve powerful. Soon however, his gaze of steel becomes a glare, and her skin begins to prickle underneath his eyes.

"...Are you mad at me?" Pale fingers bunch up balls of fabric from her skirt.

"Huh..? N-No, of course not!" His cheeks flare up, flustered tone in his voice. So.. he's not actually glaring..? Is he.. nervous? He certainly seemed like he was nervous. The way he was now was like how she always felt, a little anxious and on edge. "Um.. so..! It's really strange.. I really liked hanging out together. ..I used to, anyway."

Her lips part in fear, and the words shake as they leave her lips. "W-What about now?"

He sighs. "But now.. I feel all tense and on edge.. It's the weirdest thing."

A gloved hand clutches his vest, over his heart, and his eyebrows knit together. Being tense and on edge.. That too, was a feeling she knew all too well. Every time they were alone together like this, an awkward silence hanging between them, her heart would pound at a hundred miles an hour, and she never knew what to say, fear of the wrong thing stopping her from telling him what was really on her mind. She didn't want to ruin what they had, and she became afraid of telling him that she cared.

The way he described his emotions– his body language and general behaviour...

"...Y-You're.. in love." She stutters out, saying the first thing that was on her mind. It wasn't the only explanation, but perhaps it was the only one she hoped for. There was also the small, small possibility that he hated her, but she'd much rather believe that they shared feelings than believe that she was despised.

"L-Love..?" He looks at his hands in surprise. "This is love?"

She nods her head, diverting her gaze away. ".. _I think_."

Because it's the same way she feels.

"Huh.. Oh!" He turns even brighter red, a colour she didn't know was possible– but was probably also the shade her own skin was. Out of the corner of her vision, she can see him grin a little– as though he's made a huge discovery. As though he's finally got a word for the emotion that he's feeling, that he can finally identify it.  
It's such a cute little expression..

"It.. already slipped out, but.. I'd.. like to know how you feel." He tugs on her hands slightly, and they meet eyes once more. Flushed cheeks, hearts pounding, she's never felt so embarrassed and emotionally exposed in her life. She'd tried, tried her hardest to pretend like she hadn't felt anything remotely romantic, but with how he asked her– a mix of excitement and fear in his voice, she can feel her control slip. "...Wont you be my girl?"

With those words from his lips, Kotone confesses the truth she's held back, tears welling up in her eyes. "Y-Yes!"

"Really!?" His eyes light up, and without even thinking, he pulls her into his arms. She's not sure what to do with anything– what's she supposed to do with her hands!? Is she.. supposed to hug him back? She really wants too... "Oh, sorry!"

"Um.. Well then.. here's hoping for the best, right?" She beams up at him, her smile more befitting of a summer sun, a nod of her head being the only confirmation she can emote. She feels as though if she spoke, she'd burst open into a million butterflies. "Wow.. um, this got awkward all of a sudden.."

She giggles. Despite his words, he makes no attempt to move away from her, so she decides to slink in closer and wrap her arms tightly around him in an embrace. Her head rests on his chest, and she can hear the quick beat of his heart and each breath he takes. This is reality, isn't it? If it's a dream, she wouldn't like to wake up. She hides her face from him, but begins to speak in soft, slow words.

".. Y'know, Senpai.. It feels like a weight's been lifted off my chest." He hums in agreement. "That's why.. I'll say it now.. You can always rely on me. If you take on the problems of the entire world, then I'll be here to support you. The burdens you face.. wont you let me take on a few of them?"

She pulls away from him slowly, regretting it as the warmth of another human's touch leaves her, and quickly wipes away the tears from her eyes. They share a look for a few moments, but he nods his head in agreement. She's so, so glad..

"I'll be in your care, Senpai."

"Me too. Let's do our best."

She's.. not sure how long they spoke for, nor is she sure about what they spoke about.  
She tells him all about how much she wanted to help and support him, but how she was held back by her fears.  
She promises to be there for him no matter what– to protect him like he wanted to protect her.

Once she finishes her confessions, they begin to talk about small things. She tells him about her childhood; what her mother was like, her father's silly grin. She tells him about how shy she used to be, and how by reflecting back on how she once was, she decided to make a difference in the lives of everyone around her.  
She tells him of her own resolve, how she's decided to live for not only herself, but everyone around her.

"I'm gonna protect us both!" She grins and laughs, and he nods his head in agreement.

The sun is setting, and it's getting a little cold, but she doesn't mind it all too much today.

* * *

my babies!  
i hope.. that the confession scene was done ok;;;  
its such a cute scene in game and im shit at writign so?  
welp.

my hands are also rlly cold or else i woulda written more tbh

anyway review time;;

grim! its mostly just a joke based off of., everything lol  
but yeah, akihiko's backstory hurts my heart,, my poor baby

and! writingsoul! man it's been a while! i was worried abt u  
i love my girl,, shes a good gal who just,, loves everyone around her,,

even tho im not a huge fan of today's chapter,  
it at least has kotone and akihiko telling each other how they feel;;  
my heart is at peace after smth like 42 chapters

i hope y'all enjoyed !


	43. moonlight bridge (chapter 42)

its still super cold where i live

* * *

 _November 2nd, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"...Well, tomorrow will be our last operation."

Fuuka murmurs, twiddling her fingers. The lounge room was filled with each member of the group– all sitting in a circle, hushed voices discussing tomorrow's event and the increasing rise of Apathy Syndrome cases. Normally the cases would go down after each Shadow was defeated, but if anything, they only got worse after last time. Everyone was hoping on the pattern finally coming to an end tomorrow, with the final Shadow's defeat, and the end of the Dark Hour.

They could only hope.

"Yeah... We've been through a lot these last six months..." Yukari nods her head slowly, her long nails drawing patterns in the skin of her upper thigh.

Kotone claps her hands together, an attempt to lighten the air. "We did our best."

"Yeah... We did what we could..."

Junpei stares at the three girls, a frown on his face as he thinks of the right words to say. All three– cheerful, bright and pretty girls, had such sad faces, that he really wasn't sure what to do. Seeing such a sweet group of people look so .. depressed hurt him.

"It was a lot better than doing nothing, right?" He grins, and pats Minato on the shoulder, who hardly reacts to the sudden touch. "Besides, we made some new friends."

"...Yeah, I guess." Ken sighs.

Akihiko leans back on his chair. "Well, it's all been worth it, if you ask me. It's been two and a half years since I got this power... and you don't hear me complaining."

"Sanada-san.."

Koromaru barks, jumping onto the lounge to snuggle in between the girls. A soft smile forms on Kotone's face as she begins to run her fingers through the dog's white fur, earning a wag from the shiba's tail.

The teal haired girl giggles. "Don't forget, we got to meet Koro-chan, too. In any case... two and a half years is a long time, right, Sanada-senpai..? Oh, wait... It's been even longer for Aigis, hasn't it?"

"I was asleep for much of the time, so I have not been in operation for very long." The robot explains, and the girl hums out a soft response to the words.

"How 'bout you, Kirijo-senpai? You started before Sanada-san, right?"

"...Me?" Mitsuru raises an eyebrow at the goateed teen's question, and briefly purses her lips in thought before responding. "...Yes, it was just me at first. Of course, back then, SEES didn't exist, and this was just a regular dorm."

"Did the Chairman recruit you?"

"No.. I've been aware of the Dark Hour since I was a child.. One time, my father's research team was attacked by Shadows. That's when I awakened to my Persona.. when I witnessed the incident."

"That's what happened..?"

"...It seems I was the first." The redhead bows her head low to the archer asking questions, apologetic in every way. "...If that had never happened, perhaps none of you would have to face this terrible burden."

"Senpai.."

The other senior of the group sighs. "It would've happened to someone eventually.. Besides, the enemy can't just be ignored."

"...I suppose that's true."

Everyone was ready for tomorrow– and it showed in their eyes. Despite that, there was a certain fear and sadness behind Minato's cold gaze that worried a few of them, though they dare not say anything. He refused to get help, and he refused to talk to them.  
They can't help if he doesn't let them try.

"Tomorrow is a big day... so make sure you get your rest."

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Everyone decided to stay at home in order to keep their strength ready for the battle ahead of them. The dorm had been mostly silent for the entire morning– Kotone had cooked up a large breakfast for everyone so they were all prepared, and Junpei casually mentioned he was going back to bed so he didn't feel tired during the Dark Hour.  
Despite those words, Minato reckoned that he just wanted to spend his 'day off' in bed.

Well, he related to that, in a way.

Lying across the table of the living room are the group's weapons, all being checked out by their leader. At this point, it's become a habit. During the daytime on the day the mission fell on, he would collect everyone's weaponry and check up on them all, making sure they weren't going to break mid-battle or if they had enough power behind them for the upcoming fight. He always bought spares from Officer Kurosawa, but it was easier for him to order things out on the day they were going to be stressed to their very limit.

"Kotone's _naginata_ is a little worn around the handle..." She's been using the same one for the entire time she's been fighting, so it made quite a bit of sense. Well, it still had plenty of use in it, so he wasn't going to touch that weapon.

Speaking of his little sister, she's been real cheerful the past few days. Even more so than usual, which was kind of scary. She bounced around and smiled way too much, and it seriously intimidated him. And every time she looked at him.. he was exposed. Like she was trying to pry him open again, like she had after the incident occurred.  
He didn't want that– he didn't need that.

His hands trail over Yukari's bow and quiver, checking to see how many arrows she had inside. The good thing about Shadows was that they dropped her arrows after they were killed, so she usually had enough arrows during battles in Tartarus, but a fight against a full moon Shadow might be a little tougher for her.. Ideally, that means he'll either want to overstock her with them, or give her enough space to recover mentally after each magic attack she used.  
She was a hard hitter when it came to magic, but he's learnt the hard way that attacking that way was bad for your health.

Next was... he turns to Junpei's large sword. He makes an attempt to lift the heavy weapon up to check it, grunting slightly at the weight of it. No wonder two hands were needed to wield it.. But taking a good look at it, the sword needed a bit of fixing– if not, then total replacement. That made sense too, Junpei was rough and powerful with his hits, but careless. Weapons were easily worn by the teen. A sigh leaves his lips, and he drags the sword off the table, pulling it to the storage room across the hallway.

"Working hard?"

He flinches at that voice– despite it's familiarity.  
Soft and sweet, with a slight sing-song lilt.  
Kotone.

He turns his gaze towards her, and she stands there with her arms crossed, but a smile on her face. Soon, she comes close to him, and helps him put the sword on a shelf in the storage, having taken notice of how his arms shook with each movement. Once they get it in the room, carmine eyes turn to look at him, and he feels every hair on the back of his neck stand up.  
That look.  
That was the 'I want to talk' look.

He frowns.

"Don't give me that." She huffs. "Listen, Minato.. Are you.. okay? Mentally."

He doesn't respond, and she narrows her eyes into a glare.

"You've been distant towards everyone.. and you were picking fights at school after.. what happened. I know everyone was really shaken by what happened... to Aragaki-senpai, but.." She looks away, and he feels this guilty pit in his stomach. "I'm worried about you. I know you were close to Aragaki-senpai; I don't know _**how**_ close, but I know you were close.. and what happened must've really shaken you.. It's why.. It's why I'm worried about you continuing your role as leader, tonight."

Surprise fills him, and he looks at her with surprise. She flinches a little, not expecting that reaction, but steels herself and continues to talk.

"You're.. really emotional, Minato. I'm not sure you'll be able to keep us safe– keep _**yourself** _ safe, if you're back to being your old self! You changed, after Yakushima.. you weren't so.. cold anymore. Everyone agrees with me on that.. and after Aragaki-senpai and you got close, you weren't so.. frozen facially. You smiled a lot, and it made me really happy... but now.. you've gone back.. Which is why I'm scared about you leading us all again." Her thumbs twiddle. "But.. I have an idea, see?"

He's really not sure what to say. She only spoke the truth– he'd been trying his hardest to shut himself off again, but he didn't want to admit it out loud. Because then she'd get mad at him, mad that he made so much progress only to let something pull him back. But.. he couldn't help it. He really did care for Aragaki-senpai; in a way he didn't exactly know how to describe, and now that he was gone.. He didn't want to get close to anyone, anymore.

Her lips quiver slightly as she takes a deep breath in.

"..If those Strega guys try stopping us.. and our Senpai think they will.. then we should split into two teams.. right? One to deal with them, and one to deal with the Shadow. The Dark Hour is limited.. we don't have the time to deal with those people." She looks him dead in the eye, determination filling those kind orbs. "That's why.. I thought about it hard.. Let me and Kirijo-senpai lead the team to deal with the Shadow."

"What!?"

"If you can lead, then so can I! We're twins, after all." She grins. "And Kirijo-senpai is technically our main leader.. She'll be more in charge than I would be. But, while we deal with the Shadow, you and Amada-kun, and Sanada-senpai can deal with those Strega people. You three.. all want revenge on them, right? Get them for what they did.. I think this way's the best way to do it."

This.. is surprisingly well thought out, for Kotone. No.. he wonders if either of the senior's helped her out with this. They had been discussing the possibility of Strega intervening for nearly a week now, and he'd been stuck in his own head for over a month.. Damn it.. He's really worried everyone, hasn't he?  
He can.. continue acting normal for just a little while, if it'll make Kotone happy.  
He can pay those Strega assholes back for what they did..

"...Okay, Kotone." He nods his head. "We'll do it your way."

She smiles, relief evident.  
And he can only hope everything does go well.

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Fuuka's newly transformed Persona– Juno, was currently taking up most of the space inside of the command room. The beautiful shade of red, combined with it's butterfly wings and ballroom dress like body made it hard to not be noticed. Inside of the eyeball like skirt is their tactical support member, who clutches her hands tight in prayer as she searches for the Shadow they have to fight next.

 _"..I found it. It's currently at the south end of the Moonlight Bridge."_ She murmurs, her voice resounding. _"The twelfth and final Shadow."_

Ikutsuki-san crosses his legs neatly, a hum leaving his lips. "This is it.."

 _"And as we expected, there are two Persona-users nearby... Strega."_

Mitsuru frowns, but sighs deeply. "They know this is their last chance. Even though we were expecting this, we should still be careful."

"Those bastards.."

"Hmph. Saves us the trouble of looking for them."

Amada-kun and Sanada-senpai both speak with a slight disdain to their voices, one she understands all too well. Of course they're reared up and ready to fight those people.. They killed Aragaki-senpai. She briefly turns her gaze to Minato, who stares ahead, watching their redheaded senior address the entire group.

"You've all done a fine job up to this point. This will be our last operation. Let's all come back safely."

She's scared.  
She doesn't want to return back to that bridge.  
Not while the full moon is high– not while the pressure of the Dark Hour hung in the air.  
She didn't want to go back to that night.

But she has to.  
She's a member of SEES too.

"Go get 'em, everyone!" Her words of encouragement are all she has to offer.

"Yeah!"

She meets eyes with Sanada-senpai, and she nods her head in confirmation.  
Everyone knows the plan.  
All they had to do was execute it.

They needed to deal with Strega, and that Shadow all at once.

* * *

They make their way up the south end of the Moonlight Bridge, and amongst the frozen cars and coffins inside, she spots two figures, menacingly watching the group of ten approach with slow movements. It was clear. Tonight, everything would be dealt with. The only noise resounding in the air is the sound of shoes hitting pavement, with Mitsuru at the lead. Everyone moved in tandem, which would've been cool and movie-like, if the air wasn't so heavy.

A whisper leaves her lips. "..Hey, Senpai? Once the fighting starts.. wont you take care of Minato for me? I wont be there to stop him, so if he starts doing something that'll get him really badly hurt, or.. killed, please stop him for me."

"I will. You don't have to ask me that."

She smiles at him, and nods her head, reassured by the boxer's words.

Watching them with cold eyes is the leader of Strega, that man– Takaya, was it? His thin body and string like hair makes him easy to notice. Once all of them were in hearing range, he raises his hands like a preacher, and speaks with a scowl on his face.

"You know the significance of today, do you not?" He growls, his monotonous drawl nearly leaving, and being replaced with a rather intimidating amount of anger. "You claim you hunt the Shadows to prevent the disaster they bring.. Yet, countless lives are lost each day without their intervention.."

Ken rolls his eyes and groans.

"The power we wield is not itself evil.. You cannot deny that. So, why don't you just admit it? You do not wish to eliminate the Dark Hour.." Her skin crawls with each word that leaves the man's lips. "You are merely deceiving yourselves."

To her surprise, the first one to speak up is Minato, who clutches his sword tightly as he speaks.

"That's not true."

"Look within yourselves and you shall see. You are indeed foolish children.. Erasing the Dark Hour is the same as erasing yourselves." Strega's leader clicks his tongue. "Is even that beyond your comprehension? As I believed, our goals are irreconcilable. Jin.."

His gaze turns to the green clad man beside him, who crosses his arms. "Forget these maggots."

"Fate shall decide who prevails."

He falls to his kneels, clutching his head tightly. With a soft whisper leaving his lips, there's a blood red glow around him, and soon, hovering above his head is his Persona. The other man sees this as a signal to attack, and pulls his Evoker out and shoots himself right in the head, summoning his own.

There's a large burst of flames that separates the member's of SEES, and as soon as a cloud of smoke covers the group, a loud yell leaves Sanada's lips.

"Alright, now!"

That had been their only chance, so they took it.

Six break into a sprint for the Shadow. Three stay behind. The final one, Yamagishi, summons her own Persona and begins to provide as much backup as she can while the men realise that they'd been duped, and attempt to attack the figures heading for the Shadow they were trying to protect. However, their attacks are quickly blocked by the three people who stayed behind, two young men and a child.

As Takaya's grotesque Persona beats it's wings, he smiles and raises a single hand high into the sky.

"The time of judgement is at hand!"

Bombs of light behind to swirl around the three men, and as fast as he's able to react, Akihiko pulls out his own Evoker and aims for his forehead. Taking that as a sign, Minato and Ken soon follow along, and the three are shielded by their Personas– Caeser, Kala-Nemi and Orpheus. They're sent flying back, but luckily, none of them seemed to take too much damage from the hit.

The man beside their main enemy, Jin, growls out a simple phrase. "There's no cure for stupidity."

His robot-like Persona moves at a fast pace, sending another burst of fire for the three men, who all clammer to move out of the way. The fire blows up in several places, slamming around Akihiko and Ken like rag-dolls. Minato is sent flying, and lands atop of a car with a loud bang, no doubt leaving a dent in the rooftop. He groans in pain as his bones ache from the hit, and his leg had a dull feeling in hit reminiscent of the pain he felt that night on this very bridge.  
He hates this.  
He hates that he had to return to this cursed place.

There's a feeling of relief that washes over him, and at first he figures he's passing out– only to realise that that's not what this feeling is. It's the feeling that he got when someone cast a healing spell. So he forces himself up, dirt from the car's roof staining his hands and he spots Amada and his Persona headed towards him, all while Sanada paced his way over to the two men.

"You're surprisingly stubborn."

His stomach crawls at Jin's tone, helping himself down from the automobile with the help of a small child. The man talks loud enough for all three of them to hear– no doubt on purpose, considering he wants to kill all of them.

"I'm not done yet.. If I were to die in a place like this, I... I'd never forgive myself!" He continues to walk towards the men, blocking fire and lightning with nothing but his arms and fists. "I wont be able to face you either, Shinji!"

As soon as Minato's back on his feet, the little boy begins to run towards the elder teen, as if to help him fight.  
And he just watches.

"Aragaki-san.. I wont ask you to forgive me.. I know this wont make any amends.." The boy breathes in deep and aims his Evoker. "But even so.. I'll take care of the rest for you!"

He can hear Pharos' voice in his head, almost tempting him on with his carefree tone.

 **'You don't want to lose anyone'**.  
 **'You don't want to see people die because of you again'**.

And that's why he.. has to fight.

* * *

With the sound of an explosion by the end of the bridge, she realises that the fight has truly begun. Clutching her fist tight, she begins to run a little faster, in order to catch up with Aigis and the other's, who have already engaged in battle with the Shadow they're fighting against.

It hangs high, floating by what seemed to be rotating wings, behind held up by thin strings for dear life. And despite it's rather.. less than intimidating appearance, it sends a giant fist to attack them, which soon is blocked by their robotic member's Persona, who stops it in it's path and struggles with the powerful attack.

"Takeba!"

"You got it!"

With a combined force, Yukari and Mitsuru summon Penthesilea and Io, who use their ice and wind combined to send a chilling attack for the stone like statues protruding out of the concrete road. Their prayer like stance and humanoid features made them terrifying to look at.  
But she has to fight.

Her feet carry her forward, her _naginata_ poised in her hands in preparation as she lifts herself up off the ground and slams the blade end into one of the all too creepy marble statues, crushing it with the blade's force. Once one of those stone figures is destroyed, the Shadow groans in pain and the fist-like attack it had used disappears, allowing Aigis to let Palladion dematerialise and return back to where the other five members are.

Junpei slides forward with his Evoker by his temple, and fires– letting out Hermes, who attacks statues with the viciousness of a bird-of-prey. Koromaru too, attacks with his own beastly ferocity. She can't help but smile a little; despite how dangerous this plan might be, it was working out.

"Alright! Astraea!" With the sound of glass smashing and a blue glow surrounding her, she let's her newly transformed Persona out.

Fluttery iridescent wings and a halo; a body made of stars. A feminine figure holding a flaming torch in her hands. Astraea waves the torch around, and flames begin to explode all around their main target– the large Shadow flying above them.

The combined power of each attack by each Persona sends winds flying, and the group has to shield their eyes.

* * *

"Caesar!"

Swinging down his sword, the white clad figure manages to shatter Takaya's own Persona, causing the thin man to hiss with pain. Once he had an opening, Akihiko rushes forward, each swing of his fists calculated and knocking into the man's body, destroying bone in the man's ribcage. Once he hears footsteps approach quickly behind him, he moves out of the way for Minato, who slashes his sword down across the man's chest, opening up a large gash.

The man cries in pain and coughs up blood, his eyes narrowed on the two who had attacked him.

"It's time to show you what I can really do! Kala-Nemi!"

Kala-Nemi rotates it's arms as it falls down onto the blue haired man's Persona, grinding metallic bodies together, sending sparks flying and smoke pouring. The struggle between the two was clear, as Ken narrowed his eyes to focus all of his strength onto the physical manifestation of his inner self. Jin seems to see this concentration as a weakness, as he pulls the pin out of one of his grenades and throws it at the boy, causing the small boy to jump away as far as he can from the explosive.

A wild laugh leaves the man's lips as he throws yet another, and the boy continues to dance around, avoiding bombs because his life depended on it. He soon realises he's unable to attack in this situation, and he calls out for one of the two men fighting along his side.

"Minato-san! Sanada-san!"

The silver haired man turns his gaze to the little boy, and splits from where he'd been trading punches with the long haired man.

"Arisato! Take care of that guy!"

He runs as fast as he can, and slams his fist into the smaller man's cheek, knocking out a tooth. Each blow is powerful and quick, hitting the man's gut and chest area in fast and steady movements. Each slash of Minato's sword, each hit from Akihiko's fists sends the two men further and further into pain, and soon, they fall to the ground.

A growl comes from the man clad in a heavy coat. "Damn it.. Is their power _**that**_ different from ours..?!"

"..Different?" Akihiko asks.

"For us, it's not that simple... It has to be forced out. Didn't your _**pal**_ tell you?"

A hiss leaves the boxer's lips, and he throws another punch into the man's face. "..So it was you who was giving Shinji those pills."

"You guys don't have the slightest clue what will happen if the Dark Hour disappears, do you? It won't matter for normal people, since they don't remember anything anyway.. But for us–"

Takaya shakily forces himself up and over to his friend, and their blue haired leader points his sword as the man. "That's enough. Now, then... Ordinarily, we'd withdraw.. but not tonight. This body, as ephemeral as it is... It is worthless without my power. Therefore, only one choice remains.. I shall prove my existence here and now!"

He bows back down to the ground and grabs at his head, and Jin immediately rushes over to his friend, stopping him from summoning his Persona once more.

"What are you doing!?"

"Don't be so reckless!"

"Jin!?"

"...Sorry. But... those are your words, not mine."

Grabbing Takaya under the arms, Jin quickly rushes over to the railings of the Moonlight Bridge, and climbs on over. He turns back to the three men, and grins slightly.

"You win... Looks like you'll get your wish... You better go help your friends."

With calls for the two men to 'wait', and to 'not jump', the two quickly drop over the side of the bridge, and into the blood-red ocean below. From the height of the bridge, there's little doubt in anyone's mind that they wouldn't survive that fall.

There's a silence between the three men, and they all rush to the other side of the bridge, ready to help out the other's with the battle against the Shadow.  
Those two chose their fate.  
..They couldn't do anything about that.

* * *

Mitsuru's blade slices into the Shadow as it hits the ground, and Aigis fires rounds and rounds of bullets into it's body. Their attacks were doing damage, but not quite enough. They needed more damage to be dealt to finally finish it off.

Fuuka's voice suddenly breaks through the air, and her words provide relief to the increasingly tired fighters. _"Sanada-senpai, Arisato-kun and Amada-kun are on their way to help now! Just keep holding out!"_

She fights the urge to cheer out in happiness at that– clearly they weren't so injured in the last battle if they were capable of helping them out with the Shadow. Her thoughts are only confirmed when thunder rumbles across the sky and lightning strikes the Shadow, clear signs of their final three member's return. With a grin on her face, she aims her Evoker for her head and pulls the trigger, and a soft yellow light surrounds each member.

Attack power up.  
Her Persona's ability to help in battle..  
It always comes in handy against these Shadows.

The loudest attack cry comes from her brother, the noise surprising her as he deals the final blow with his sword, slicing the Shadow in two. Covered in dirt and dust, clothes ripped to what practically shreds, yet he fights his hardest once more.

She's so happy.  
This is the closest he's been to normal in a long time.

The Shadow cries out in pain, and falls to the concrete with a loud crash. It explodes into ribbons of black and red, and the group takes deep breathes of relief.

It's over.

It's finally over.

* * *

im really tired and cold im srry  
anyway i hate writing fight chapters

i hope i did this ok... it was hard to write...

sooooo we see astraea's appearance! to give u a basic image to work off of,  
if u have played fire emblem echoes, then think of rinea as a witch  
if u havent played that game then..  
just google fe:echoes rinea and click images  
look for the one where shes clad in fire

anyway! im really glad everyone enjoyed the last chapter,,,  
to sum up how i felt after writing it..  
my skin was clear, my crops are thriving, my crippling anxiety is gone  
its all thanks to those two,, angelic, pure beings

WELL ANYWAY!  
i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!  
see y'all next time


	44. spell (chapter 43)

AREEE U READY KIDS?  
nooo ? me neither lets have fun

* * *

 _November 3rd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Shoulders heaving, heavy pants leaving each member's lips– they stand in brief silence, eyes on the location where the Shadow had once been. Not a single word was peeped for quite some time, instead they begin to huddle together and check injuries. Once a small circle of members is formed, words finally leave a particular person's lips.

"...Is it over?" Junpei asks, his eyes on the full moon hanging above them.

"Operation completed." Aigis confirms, but soon begins to readjust her wording. "Or should I say, 'Mission complete'."

A hush of disbelief hangs, and Mitsuru speaks first. "Yes.. It's finally over.."

The robotic girl turns towards the twins, and pumps her hands as though ready to cheer.

"Kotone-san, Minato-san." The two look up at her, injuries forcing them to attempt at supporting each other's weight. "I believe a celebration is in order. What will be our victory cheer?"

Despite the pain her body was in and the rips in the fabric of her uniform, Kotone raises a hand high in the sky and grins brightly as she speaks. Her exuberant movements and bright attitude contrasts the seriousness she'd shown only moments earlier; and helps distract from each member's individual injuries.

"Let's eat!"

"One... two... three... Let's eat!"

"Let's... eat!?" Fuuka raises her eyebrow in concern and confusion at that victory cry.

Yukari bursts into laughter. "What was that?"

"Huh. I wonder if Aigis-san gets hungry.." Ken murmurs, pursing his lips in thought.

The capped teen excitedly turns towards the redheaded senior, his own grin equally excited as his friends.

"So, um, Senpai.. You're gonna throw us a party tomorrow, right?"

She sighs. "You don't waste any time, do you? Well, I suppose I could arrange for it."

"Ooh! In that case, how 'bout sushi!?"

Akihiko moves a little closer to the rest of the group, absentmindedly tugging his gloves off and checking his knuckles for any major injuries, but he perks up at the food suggestion that is proposed.

"Sushi, huh.. It's been a while.." He smiles. "Well, I've got dibs on the halibut and sea urchin!"

Yukari quickly pipes up. "Oh, then I call the fatty tuna!"

Fuuka is even more shocked. "Um, we're divvying it up already? In that case, save me the salmon roe."

"Hey, wait a minute!" Junpei bursts out. "You can't do that!"

"The sweet shrimp's mine!" Kotone giggles.

"Then, I want the makizushi." Minato pipes up.

"What!? You both too!?"

The robot quickly begins to divvy her own food. "I reserve the shrimp, squid, scallops, and sea eel."

"Hey! That's not fair! You don't even eat!"

Ken scoffs. "You should all be ashamed of yourselves, fighting over sushi."

Koromaru barks in agreement, and the little boy turns towards the senior with a smile.

"Senpai, please order tamago for me. They say you can tell a chef's skill by how he prepares eggs."

"Um, how old are you again?" The archer laughs.

Mitsuru waves her hands in the air, as if to calm the little squabbles over food. Despite her gestures, the smile on her face was evidence enough of her enjoyment of the atmosphere surrounding the group.

"Okay, okay. I'll have the very best delivered tomorrow."

"For real!?" The sword user bounces up and down. "Aw man, it's great to be alive!"

"Don't get too excited, Junpei. You're getting the leftovers."

"What!? But, it was my idea in the first place!"

The group bursts into laughter, and for once in six months, they all finally feel like their age. They're not fighters defending the world from monsters, they're not trying to atone for the sins of the past.. They're just kids, having fun. This truly is how they should be.

Once their laughter pipes down, Mitsuru turns maroon eyes to the sky, eyes watching the moon with a mixture of sadness and relief.

"...I guess it's time to say goodbye to the Dark Hour." She breathes out a sigh. "Even though it seemed like a curse, for some reason I'm reluctant to let it go."

"Yeah.."

"We really did it, didn't we..?"

"Yes.. We saved the world, even if no one knows it."

"..Yeah."

* * *

 _November 4th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

Minato feels a familiar presence in his bedroom, so his eyes peer open slightly– though he wants to go back to sleep.

 **"Good morning."** He flinches. **"This is the first time we've talked during the daytime."**

He nods his head slowly, disbelief evident at the sight of the young Pharos in his room. He turns his gaze to the windows, where light streams through and he can hear birds chirp, that he realises this is reality. The boy seems to note this movement, and takes a few steps towards the window, peering out it with a small smile.

 **"Nice weather, isn't it? This is indeed a new day."** A brief pause. **"..For both of us."**

He raises an eyebrow.

 **"All the fragments of my memory.. They've finally come together. I now know my role clearly."**

His... role?  
Pharos always spoke of his memory, but now it was pieced together..  
He's not sure what to think.

 **"The time has come."** He looks away. **"As difficult as it may be, I must tell you something. I'm afraid this is goodbye."**

"...Goodbye..?"

The boy takes the elder's hands in his own. **"I want you to know... For me, our friendship was a miracle. But.. miracles don't last forever."**

The sadness that Pharos felt was evident.

 **"...If only they did."**

His lips quiver in disbelief.  
Pharos.. was leaving?  
That went against most of the theories in his mind.  
Why.. why was he leaving?

"...I can't see you anymore?"

 **"I shall treasure our conversations always."** Pharos smiles. **"Even if today is the end, the bond between us can never be severed. ..Remember that."**

The boys eyes are filled with tears, and he can feel them well up in his own.  
He can't believe this.. Why is he leaving?  
Someone who understood him.. Someone who was by his side..  
Even if he was strange, and a little scary in the beginning..

He was a friend.  
Why are they all leaving him..?

 **"It was fun while it lasted."**

"–Wait!"

 **"Farewell."**

Like always, the boy disappears, but this time it leaves Minato with a pit of sorrow.  
..He's not ever coming back.. is he?

* * *

 _November 4th, 2009._  
 _After School._

A bouquet for an empty alleyway.

Amada-kun and Sanada-senpai had approached her not long after school had ended, asking in hushed words if she'd come along with them. They had led her to the train station, where the flower shop stood– and asked her to pick something she thought was suited for remembrance. She thought it was cute that they asked for her help, though she understood fully well what this bouquet would be used for.

She wasn't well versed in _hanakotoba_ – but she did have a basic understanding on the more somber meanings, thanks to her own parents' funeral.

White chrysanthemums.

They were the preferred flowers for funerals, thanks to their lack of colour and fragrance. They had decorated the auditorium, their pure white standing out against the navy blue curtains of the auditorium. But she wondered if Aragaki-senpai would like something different.. It wasn't a funeral they were going to, after all.

It was to tell him the good news.

So she picked out some irises and lilies to go along with the more traditional flowers.

The three had walked in mostly silence to the spot where they'd watched a close friend die, her hands tight around the bouquet. Flowers were expensive, and she didn't want to drop or destroy the flowers before they had a chance to pay their respects.

"Here you go."

The words leave her lips in with a softness, her hands delicately handing over the floral arrangement to the little boy, who gives her a small smile and nod in thanks. He takes a few steps into the middle of the alleyway, his mind retracing the steps to the exact spot where a man had died protecting him. He places the flowers down on the spot– and she swears she can still see a stain where the blood had pooled.

She paces backwards towards the way they came, standing in silence next to Sanada, who watches the boy with gentle eyes.  
She wonders if he wants to say something as well, but she gets this feeling that even without spoken words, he's getting his feelings across.

Amada takes a deep breath, and begins to speak. "Aragaki-san, it's all over now. This is the right thing to do, isn't it?"

"...Amada..."

Her gaze turns from the small boy standing several feet away from them, to the man by her side. Leaning lightly against his side, she wraps an arm around his own– providing a small comfort in the only way she knows how. His eyes turn to her, only briefly, but soon one of his hands reach up and brushes over her own. She breathes out a soft hum, her eyes not leaving the young boy in the alley.

They made a promise to take care of him.  
Now that everything was over, Ken deserved a normal childhood.

"Amada-kun, are you alright?" Her voice carries a little, and she hopes the shake in her voice isn't too noticeable.

He turns towards the pair, and nods. "Let's go home now."

* * *

 _November 4th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Just as it had been promised, the finest sushi is laid out on the table in the dormitory's living room. Minato had met up with Junpei on his way home– who had apparently gone to the hospital to talk to Chidori again. He'd spent a lot of his time at the shrine, in front of his family's gravestone telling them about the past year.  
The Dark Hour was over now, the thing that killed them would never occur again.

It was something small he had to tell them.

Junpei whistles. "Whoa.. Nice spread."

Yukari leans forward on the lounge, her eyes the size of saucers at the food in front of her. "The slices are huge!"\

"Man, I'm starving.. Can we eat?"

Ken looks around. "Hey, where's Aigis-san and Ikutsuki-san?"

"He took her to the lab for a tune-up or something." Akihiko quickly explains, and Minato takes note of his closeness to his little sister. "He said they'll join us later."

Fuuka giggles. "The Chairman just can't stay away from the lab, can he?"

The rumble of a car engine can be heard out front, and the group turns their gazes to the doorway. At first, there's a brief confusion around the bunch, with confused shrugs from the second years– but Mitsuru quickly speaks up.

"That must be my father."

As if on cue, the door opens and her father comes walking in, by his side are two men clad in black. Just as he had been on Yakushima, the air around him was extremely commanding. As expected of the head of a multinational corporation.

"We've been waiting for you."

Takeharu sighs. "So, it's over at last, huh.."

"Yes."

Amada's eyes widen quite a bit, and his voice becomes a quiet whisper– a mix of fear and wonder in it. "Wh-Who's he..?"

"Can't you tell?" Junpei states. "That's Kirijo-senpai's dad. She looks _exactly_ like him."

"Y-You think so..?"

Well, Minato thinks the same. Although Mitsuru had a certain elegant air to her; combined with her incredibly vibrant hair and eye colour, the things she shared with her father were easy to note. Their auras were intimidating, and demanded all eyes on them. That was another thing they shared– their narrowed and domineering look. It seemed to be a product of the upbringing, as well as an inherited trait.

"Congratulations, everyone. You've done well." The older man states, his steps leading into the living room. "There are no words to express my gratitude. Though you will never receive the recognition you deserve, it is undoubtedly a monumental achievement."

Akihiko bows his head first. "Thank you."

The man turns his eyes to Yukari, taking steps towards her. "To you, I owe a special thanks.. For lending us your power until the very end."

He takes her hands in his own, and clasps them firmly. His feelings of appreciation were obvious, and it was enough for Yukari to turn a shade of pink in embarrassment.

"Oh, it's.. it's no big deal."

Kirijo-san lets go, and turns his eyes onto each member of SEES.

"The twelve Shadows that were the cause of all our troubles have been destroyed, thanks to your efforts. You needn't bear this burden any longer. You deserve a chance to experience the joys of youth." He turns his dark eyes towards one of the men by his side, whom holds a silver case. "The Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad will be dissolved as of midnight tonight."

"Dissolved..?"

"I-I see.."

"No longer must you put your lives on the line in battle. Tomorrow, you can triumphantly return to a normal school life."

Silence covers the air, and the members of SEES share a quiet look. It was strange to think their group was finally going to be dissolved.. In fact, it almost felt impossible. They had been fighting so hard for it– and now that it was here.. It felt odd.

The middle-aged man notices.

"..Is something the matter?"

"Oh, it's nothing..." The boxer murmurs.

Mitsuru sighs. "Alright, everyone... It's time to celebrate. Your feast awaits you. There's no need to hold back; eat as much as you like."

The goateed teen takes a excited jump, his enthusiasm almost entirely wiping the awkwardness from the air.

"Sweet! I've been waiting for you to say that!"

The group digs into the sushi that had been ordered for them, and the party seems to go on forever. They joked about alcohol– which had earned a look of disapproval from not only the adults, but the third years as well. Which was funny, considering they were free to head on over to the club and drink if they wanted to. Alas, they had plenty of sodas to chose from, as well as various other ordered foods.

The clock ticks down to only minutes before midnight, and the party continues on with vigour.

"Listen up, everyone.." Junpei begins, his toothy grin bright. "Well, now that we're all stuffed, how 'bout we take a picture together?"

"Huh?"

"Actually, I tried to take one last night... but I forgot it wouldn't work during the Dark Hour."

Akihiko nearly chokes on his drink. "You mean... you bought a camera with you into battle?!"

"Well, it was our _**last**_ battle, after all."

The last battle.. Despite it earning that title, it had been surprisingly normal. Sure, they had to fight their way to the actual Shadow, but once everything had been all set up, the battles when rather smoothly.. Minus his worrying and the injuries he gained.  
Gosh, he's glad that the Kirijo Group gave them uniforms every time they ruined theirs in battle.

The taller teen runs for one of the men in black, handing over the camera. "'Scuse me, mister! Would you mind taking our picture?"

"I feel like such a tourist." Yukari huffs, but her smile is evident enough of how she really feels. "But, I have to admit... I kinda want a picture, too."

Fuuka claps her hands together. "I'm so glad to have a picture with Yukari-chan and Kotone-chan. I'll treasure it!"

"Oh wait.. Ikutsuki-san and Aigis aren't here." A sigh. "... I guess we'll have to take another one later."

He quickly herds the group together, bringing all the girls close to him and leaving the boys somewhat further on the outskirts.

"Alright, everyone get together." The group huddles close, hoping to get everyone in. "C'mon, squeeze tight! Everyone come in closer to me!"

"...Does that include me too?" Sanada asks the question that's on Minato's mind.

"Uh, no... Not you..."

His shoulders brush against his sister's, who smiles gently up at him and clasps her hand in his own. In front of the twins stands Ken, who holds Koromaru up in his arms so the dog's able to be seen in the picture (though, Koromaru doesn't look too pleased about it), and by their side is Takeba. Behind them stands Junpei, who uses his slight height advantage to be seen in the photograph. Mitsuru and her father stand a little farther away, on his right, with Yamagishi and Akihiko.

They all seem to be ready for the photo to be taken, and Yukari turns her gaze to the man holding the camera.

"Geez, let's not keep this poor guy waiting all day to take the picture!" She smiles sweetly, although she'd just barked out an order. "Hey, we're good to go. You can take the pictures anytime!"

"Time to strike a pose!" One of Junpei's hands gets right in Akihiko's face, which earns an angry growl from the older man.

"Ah–– Hey, get your hand outta my face!"

The photo is taken right as Junpei falls back from being knocked in the shoulders by the boxer. The picture is well.. certainly something. Nobody is looking at the camera, instead they all have their surprised expressions turned to the two men who'd bickered right up until the photo was taken.

There's a small laughter that ruptures from the group, and their capped friend sighs.

"Is it just me... or did this not get my good side?" He frowns, and he quickly begins to fret. "W-We're gonna take another one once Aigis and Ikutsuki-san come back, alright!?"

"Yes, yes, we hear you." Mitsuru chuckles. "I could get used to a worry-free life like this.."

Koromaru barks his agreement, and Fuuka takes a seat down on a chair nearby the shiba.

"How about you, Koro-chan? Are you glad to get all this meat?"

Another bark.

Kotone points out how despite the fact he's being punched and is falling to the ground in this picture, Junpei's face is surprisingly well in frame– which only earns an embarrassment whine from the teen. This is.. a life he's never experienced before, but he definitely agrees with Kirijo. This life was something he'd be glad to get used to..  
If only they didn't need to lose so much to get this far.

"H-Hey, how come nobody's eating? Don't tell me your full already!"

"Are you kidding? I'm stuffed."

"Me too.." The teal haired girl leans back on one of the sofas. "I couldn't eat another bite.."

"How 'bout you, Senpai?"

Mitsuru groans, and Akihiko waves his hands in dismissal. "I'm good for now."

"Alright.." He picks up some more sushi with his chopsticks and kneels down in front of Koromaru. "Wanna try some, Koromaru?"

An excited bark, but the girls all quickly smack Junpei's hands away from the dog.

"Don't give the dog raw fish! You'll make him sick!"

Koromaru whines.

* * *

The teen's gaze turns towards the doorway, concern filling his eyes.

"I wonder what's taking those two so long.." As his eyes sweep the room, they fall on the clock sitting on a chested drawer. "..It's almost midnight."

The group waits with baited breath, the ticking of the clock's hands like a death march.  
It ticks further and further, closer and closer to the large twelve at the very top of the clock.

Kotone squeezes her eyes closed on instinct, praying to God that nothing happens.

But there's a gasp that leaves everyone's lips, and a crushing pressure on her body.

No, no, no...

Her eyes open, and everything is tinted green once more.

The Dark Hour isn't over just yet.

"What the hell!?" Sanada-senpai gasps out, and she hears Junpei echo those sentiments.

"Those guys in suits... They've transmogrified!"

Koromaru growls at the coffins that stand where the two men in suits once stood, and she collapses to her knees in shock. They ended the Dark Hour, didn't they!? It was why they were celebrating... why they had gone and told Aragaki-senpai that everything was going to be okay! And yet.. _and yet_..!

"I-I thought we ended the Dark Hour!" Her voice quivers, and she turns her eyes towards the two seniors. "Senpai, what's going on..?!"

"I don't know.."

Akihiko sighs. "Apparently, I was right to have my doubts."

"Yeah, something didn't feel right." Ken agrees, and she feels like she's just gotten on a giant roller coaster, and they've just gone down the largest hill on it. Her stomach drops, and she almost wants to cry. What have they been doing, then!? They were told that defeating those Shadows ended the Dark Hour, but here it still was!

"No way..." Junpei murmurs, sharing her own sentiments.

A loud clanging fills the air, and she shivers.  
A bell tower.

"Hey... do you hear that?" Yukari asks, clearly on guard. "It sounds like a bell, but... where is it coming from?"

"Where's Ikutsuki?" Kirijo-san asks, and his harshness becomes a command as he continues to speak. "...Well!? Why is he late!? He's got Aigis with him, doesn't he!?"

His daughter doesn't respond, and Akihiko frowns at her. "Mitsuru."

Her lips quiver, but she soon puts her foot down. "Everyone, prepare for battle! We're headed for Tartarus!"

"Umm.. To do what?"

"I don't know... But, that's where the sound is coming from." She turns towards the silver case that her father held, and takes it from him in a hurry. She takes out every single Evoker and hands it over, but her gaze drops on Koromaru. Her words are soft, but she tells him to stay behind to guard their base. Once the dog seems to agree, she turns back to the rest of the group, and gives off their first command.

"We have to find out what's going on."

* * *

aAAAAAAA we're here..  
my children just... dont get a break, do they?  
even when they get a break, its for like.. 4 hours  
and then they have to go back to hell

this chapter was a lot of fun to write,  
i started it not long after i posted the last chapter

welp.. its not over, lmao...

my poor poor kids... no stopping the pain train

anyway! i hope y'all enjoyed this one!


	45. the almighty (chapter 44)

anyway this chapter is fucked up

* * *

 _November 4th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

The bell tolls, filling Iwatodai's air with their chime. The fact that it could be heard all the way from the dorm was evidence enough that the bell was not natural– things that far away usually couldn't be heard. But they could hear it, with a clarity that made it feel as though the bell was only next door.

It got louder and louder the closer they got to Tartarus, the spiralling tower filling more of her vision the closer they got until they all stood where the gates for the school would be. All eyes are on the tower, it's ominous blue glow a contrast against the pressure of green provided by the Dark Hour.

Once they approach the entrance, their gazes fall on a familiar person.

Ikutsuki.

"Why, hello." The man says, his tone almost frivolously cheerful– though there's an underlying darkness to it that she's only just now noticing. "You're quite late, you know?"

"Ikutsuki-san!"

Surprise is evident in Sanada's voice, his words exactly what they were all thinking.  
Why is he here?  
Where's Aigis?

She's supposed to be with him, but despite that, the only one standing in front of them was their Chairman.

"My, my... What a glorious day this is.." He raises his arms high into the air. "I've heard the bells signalling the Day of the Fall with my own ears!"

Confusion fills the group, gasps and mutters of worry being uttered between the girls. Junpei is the first to speak up, one foot forward as he raises an eyebrow to the man they trust so much.

"What do you mean by 'the Day of the Fall', Ikutsuki-san?"

"Ikutsuki-san, you told us if we defeated the twelve Shadows, the Dark Hour and Tartarus would disappear!" Yukari cries, distraught evident.

Everyone is in a tizzy over this. They had been celebrating only moments earlier, when the clock struck midnight, and the thing they thought they'd destroyed reared it's ugly head. A laugh ruptures from the man's throat, and his expression is twisted and unreadable; so different from the overly exuberant man they thought they all knew. Kotone takes a few small steps backwards, her hands tight around her polearm as she speaks.

"..I-Ikutsuki-san..?"

"Why are you laughing?" Minato asks, his sword dangerously close to his fighting stance.

The man smiles. "You kids have done a great job. You've fought so hard to grant my wish.. I could _**never**_ express how grateful I am."

Akihiko's eyebrows furrow, and a snarl fills his voice. "Grant your wish!?"

"You tricked us!?" Mitsuru yells, disbelief in what she's coming to realise. This was a man she's known for so many years, and whom she's trusted in.. Yet, the idea that he's betrayed them all is suddenly dangling right in front of her face.

His glasses glint menacingly.

"Everything is as I planned... 'The Dark Hour and Tartarus would vanish if you defeated the Shadows'?" He laughs, raising his hands high again. "As if that was the truth! I quite expected for them to remain. If anything, your efforts thus far have had quite the opposite effect. Those twelve Shadows were part of one whole! They were destined to be reunited.. And that was accomplished, in no small part, thanks to you all."

"What... are you saying..?" Fuuka whispers, clasping her hands tightly together.

"Soon, Death the Almighty shall rise again and bring about the Fall!"

"Death!?" The head of blue belonging to their leader tilts to one side, but despite his puzzled expression, his body had shifted into guarding, preparations for an attack of some sort– whether it came from the Chairman or from a Shadow.

"The end of all shall come and free this world from despair... The death of everything.. but also the beginning."

"What's he saying? Is he even sane!?"

"I highly doubt that he is." The boxer responds, and raises his fists into a stance. His vest is soon tightly grasped by Kotone, who barely manages to hold him back from beating the older man's face in. Despite that, he stays in a position, ready to fight when he's told to. "Let's shut him up first and get our explanations later."

An over exaggerated gasp. "Raising your hands in violence toward your School Chairman? For shame!"

His eyes leave the group and look past them, his smile bordering on dangerously psychotic.

"Don't you think, Aigis?"

The group turns in shock, to spot their blonde team mate holding Kirijo-senpai's father up as a hostage, one of her hands to his head, threatening to fire bullets directly into his skull. Mitsuru gasps in shock, and desperately calls out for her father, and he calls back. But despite that, the robot's grasp only tightens around the older gentleman's arm, practically crushing it in her metal hands.

Minato yells for his friend. "Aigis!"

"Your voices won't reach her. Because that isn't your friend over there." He gestures towards the girl. "She's now simply fulfilling her role–– as a weapon."

"No!"

"Aigis, don't!" Kotone steps forward, but is promptly stopped as she fires for her feet. She breathes out a weak gasp. "..Don't you recognise us?"

A mixture of fear and disgust fills the air– one emotion because there was a possibility they had to fight a machine built for destruction, and the other towards the man who's done something to her to remove the personality and emotion she had begun to show them all. It had been small, and weak, but she had begun to question other students for how they responded to Aragaki's death, she joined in on fun without saying that there was a 'protocol' for it.  
She felt less like a robot, and more like a real girl.  
But that wasn't who was holding a hostage in front of them. In front of them was a machine, ready to kill at the words of a mad man.

"Ten years ago... I, too, was a scientist for the project we've spoken of. The experiment went awry, but that is not why the Dark Hour and Tartarus were born. They manifested as a result of harvesting the Shadows' power–– just as the experiment was designed to do. That is why, Kirijo-kun, your grandfather gathered so many Shadow.. to bring about the Fall."

"That can't be.."

"People have filled the world, yet turned it into a void!" He yells, eyes wide behind his glasses. "The only hope of salvation lies in ruin! According to the prophecy... The Fall will be orchestrated by 'the Prince'. And once the Prince has delivered us all, he shall rule the new world as King! The man who tried it ten years ago failed. But I will not; I shall succeed!"

"Man, he's totally lost it!"

"I apologise for deceiving you, but this was for your sake as well. If you follow me for just a little while longer, you too, shall find salvation."

"You call that salvation!?"

"You think saying sorry will make us all follow you like lost sheep!?" The auburn haired girl practically screams, carmine eyes filled with a poisonous emotion. That's all they were, weren't they? Little lost sheep, with their shepherd. Following his orders because he'd given them a place to belong– a family when they didn't have one.  
He'd practically melded them into perfect little soldiers.

"Don't be stupid!"

He turns to the twins, an almost sorrowful look in his crazy eyes. "Don't worry; the ignorant will be saved equally.."

Yukari turns her gaze to the man, her eyes narrowed like daggers. "Hey, I have a question. That video of my father, in it he said to defeat the Shadows.. was that a lie, too?"

"Ah.." He smiles, almost disgustingly sweet. "He did record that himself... Of course, I had to make some modifications."

"...You doctored it!?" Mitsuru yells.

"I _**corrected**_ it." He doesn't look at the senior girl, who so rudely interrupts him. "Your father was a superb scientist... He may not have known it, but I truly respected him. While other's focused on the Shadows' abilities, he explored much more important things... But unfortunately, he could not comprehend the magnificent potential of the Fall."

"What..!?"

"He left that recording at the expense of his life!" Their redheaded senior yells, only behind held back by Yukari's slight hold.

"It would seem so." He sighs. "..But, it did prove rather useful, so I'm sure he's happy."

"So you were behind it all!?" She cries, and she looks about ready to release her grasp on their seniors, who are about ready to rip his head off. "You used both me and my father!"

"..'Used' is such an ugly word.. It was for the sake of the world, so how could it be wrong?"

A deep breath is taken in by Mitsuru and she shakily tries to calm down, despite the position she's in.

"..Our role is to correct the mistakes of the past.." She reaches for her Evoker. "...and we intend to do just that."

"Senpai, I'm with you!"

The group resounds with agreement, weapons tight and Evokers in hands. Ikutsuki simply sighs, disappointment filling his voice.

"...How disappointing. I had hoped you would see the light. But you are just children, after all. I suppose it can't be helped."

Children he'd made into toy soldiers.  
Children who've seen too much bloodshed.

"Aigis!" The robot turns her attention to the man. "The time has come for you to fulfil your role. Capture them, and prepare them to be sacrificed!"

The girl finally utters her first words of that evening.

"...Understood. Energy output.. at maximum."

She throws her hostage to one side, his arm crushed and his ability to fight back hindered by the crushed arm he had, and the knowledge that this 'battle' wasn't going to be a very long one. He already knows.. She'll be back for him in a matter of seconds. Each metal leg steps forward, closer and closer to her friends, who begin to cluster together.

"Aigis..?"

"Aigis, please...!"

But there's no response, and she takes her battle stance.

"Engaging."

A rain of bullets fires down on them.

* * *

She awakens in a strange position. Her arms are tightly restrained out across, and her legs are bound together. It doesn't take her too long to realise that she's on a cross of some sort–– considering she can see the rest of her comrades being crucified as well. She rolls her wrists desperately, and shifts her legs a little in a futile attempt to loosen the restraints.

"Ngh.." The next one she sees awaken is Junpei. "What the hell!?"

"What is this!?" His yell brings Yukari back into consciousness.

A gasp leaves Fuuka's lips.

Everyone was awake now, and all struggled the same as she did. Her brother curls his hands up and tries to reach for the chains with his fingertips, but his hands are too short to reach. Even Akihiko, who definitely had the most physical power amongst them was unable to break free.

"Damn it! I can't get these off!"

"Father!"

Their gazes all fall upon the man in a suit in front of them, who Aigis holds still with an iron grasp. His left arm seemed to be twisted the wrong way, and just as she had outside of Tartarus, Aigis had her guns ready to fire at the man's temple.

"The bells for the Fall have already tolled! All that's left now is to offer up the sacrifices." Ikutsuki turns towards them with a menacing eye. "All is as foretold."

"Ikutsuki!" Kirijo-senpai's father yells, without fear despite the position he's in. "Have you gone mad!?"

"Not at all. But, I doubt you can understand that. After all, you could never understand your own father's ambitions, even to the very end."

"Are you trying to say my father was taken with this 'Fall' business!?"

"So you were listening."

"I didn't want to believe it was true. How could it be.. that my own father believed in such foolishness as Death being 'salvation' for people?!"

Their capturer clicks his tongue. "...'Foolishness'...? You truly don't understand a thing, do you? It was your father who gave me the means to achieve this. In a way, I'm indebted to him. Including you, his child, as one of the sacrifices is my way of repaying that debt. You should be grateful that I'm bestowing this honour!"

"Damn it!"

"You son of a bitch! I'm gonna rip your head off!"

The boys swore words at the man, struggling against their restraints, desperate to escape from being a sacrifice–– a harbinger of the Fall. Ikutsuki turns his gaze to the men, a sigh leaving his lips.

"My my, what a commotion... Aigis. Go on ahead and give this man his honourable 'deliverance'."

"Affirmative."

There's that familiar sound of the girl preparing her weaponry, and the group begins to yell out in desperation for their friend to stop it.

"Wait! Please, Aigis!" Mitsuru begs and begs, her voice hoarse from crying out. "Stop it!"

Her frantic screams and the way she struggles, straining the bonds holding her to the cross seem to catch the robot's attention. Her sky coloured eyes, which had been clouded over like a rainy day, seemed to briefly regain their clear beauty.

"What are you doing!? Aigis!"

"...I.. am..." Her guns lower in confusion, and during that brief moment, Kirijo Takeharu manages to shove her off of him with his usable arm. In the moments between escaping, he reaches for his ankle and pulls a gun out of a holster, running until he found himself far enough away from the girl, finding himself standing protectively in front of Mitsuru.

He aims the handgun, and Kotone's just able to notice the differences between their Evokers and a true gun.

"Ikutsuki!"

To everyone's surprise, Ikutsuki himself pulls a gun out, and the two men aim guns at each other–– only for both to fire.

Blood begins to fall like snow, hitting the metal of the observatory that they were trapped on. Blood begins to stand the man's expensive suit; and the all too familiar metallic scent of blood begins to fill the air, thanks to the large pool forming as the man hits the ground.

"Father..?" Their senpai's voice shakes, a quiver of fear, before she desperately fights her restraints, voice a scream. "Father!"

The man's attack wasn't in vain, as Ikutsuki's side was shot, and his hands held on tight, an attempt to add pressure to a steadily bleeding out wound. He turns to Aigis, his voice a pained growl.

"Aigis..! Execute the sacrifices! We'll end this!"

Despite the brief moment of clarity she seemed to had, she followed the orders with stunning speed, turning on the spot and aiming her arm for Minato, ready to fire upon him and destroy his life in an instant.

"Aigis!" Fuuka cries.

"Snap out of it!" Junpei pleas.

Kotone desperately struggles against her own restraints now, her voice reaching a higher pitch as she sees her brother's life in peril. She feels the exact same as Mitsuru, who watches her father's body–– who was now a crumpled up pile, bleeding out on the ground.  
Unable to reach out, and save a beloved family member.

"Aigis, please! Don't do it!"

She almost believes that her brother wouldn't argue, knowing his track record with suicidal tendencies. But despite that thought, he turns towards the blonde girl ready to fire down on him, and speaks to her with a begging voice. "Aigis!"

"...Minato... san.."

"Do it, Aigis!"

Ikutsuki eggs her on, and the girl's arms continue to shake, her unfocused eyes wide with dread.

She fires down on them once more, and they all brace for impact. But they're all firmly surprised to find their bonds have been shot off, and each member falls to the ground with gasps of surprise. She quivers a little, and steam begins to pour out of her joints, and her body falls too. Mitsuru runs for her father, and the rest of the group finds themselves in what counts for fighting stances when they have no weapons and no real way to fight back.

The man growls.

"You damned defective machine!" He pulls out a remote, and begins to press a button.

As if on cue, Aigis shoves Minato down first, her hands aimed for his head and shaking. She begs and begs for him to stop– her mind free from his control but her mechanical body not. They all yell at him to stop, when there's suddenly a small, familiar sound of four footsteps bouncing up flights among flights of stairs.

Koromaru jumps on the man, and with a loud bark, steals the remote away, bringing it over to the rest of SEES. Relief seems to fill the group as the robot stops her onslaught, and pulls herself away from their leader. The man stumbles backwards, holding his stomach tight as it bleeds into hands.

"You're all alone now, and you're injured on top of that." Akihiko takes a few steps forward. "Looks like this is it, Mr. Chairman."

"Why can't you all understand..? If the world is allowed to go on this way, it will continue to rot." His voice shivers, though a grin fills his face. "To build a new world, we must destroy the old!"

He continues to step further and further back, blood drooling from his lips.

"And then, at long last.. I will rule over the new world!" He laughs, reaching his hands out to the sky, grasping for the moon hanging above them all. "...I .. I was so close.."

His steps back finally stop, and with his echoing laughter, he drops off the side of the observatory.

* * *

They watch in silence as he drops off the rooftop, and in brief moments, they all decide to crowd around Mitsuru and her father, who rests in her arms, body limp and unresponsive to anything that his daughter does.

"Why did this have to happen..?" Yukari murmurs.

"Ikutsuki-san.."

Mitsuru chokes out a sob as she holds her father tight, tears trailing down her face hopelessly as she shook him back and forth, desperate to wake him up. She whispers words to him, trying to wake him any way she can, but he doesn't even move. He was lifeless and still, like a doll. Finally, she stops her attempts to bring him back, and her voice begins to carry as she speaks through crying to the group.

"My father once said.. that he would atone for having to let our generation put ourselves at risk, even if it cost him his life.." She brushes away a tear with her sleeves. "But, I... I wanted him to live! I.. I became a Persona-user to protect him..."

"Senpai.."

She finally lets go of her father, and slumps to the ground, crying like a small child.  
Soon, the Dark Hour will end.

A soft breath leaves Akihiko, and he takes steps towards her, kneeling down on the ground and forcefully lifting her up onto his back. It seemed to be the only way they were going to get her to leave this place. Her sobs seem to die down, though everyone could tell she was still crying, only now she was trying to hide it.

No one said another word as they left Tartarus for their dormitory.

* * *

 _ **tfw u forget to crucify the dog**_

anyway. ikutsuki is a fascinating character  
hes a major dickass but.. its fascinating

ANYWAY all my children are DEPRESSED!  
on that remote, wheres the 'protect SEES' button

anyway!  
grim– lol im glad u get to see it twice.. killing ikutsuki is like a dream  
writingsoul– let the children live!

i hope y'all enjoyed... idk quite how i feel abt this chapter, but?  
oh well.. is a depressing chapter.

see y'all next time!


	46. the unknown (chapter 45)

slams my head into a wall

* * *

 _November 5th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

She hasn't slept a wink.  
Her mind wandered the entire night, thinking about the events that had happened only hours prior.

Is Kirijo-senpai alright?  
Did Ikutsuki-san really die?

She couldn't wrap her mind around it. While she thought that Ikutsuki was a bit of a creep– he never struck her as the traitorous type. If anything, he was like a creepy uncle. But now, all she can associate with the idea of silly puns and jokes is a murderous, nihilist freak. Her hands shake a little as she pulls the blankets high over her head, wishing to catch even the slightest bit of sleep.  
She can't stop replaying it in her head.  
The gun shots. The maniacal laughter that echoed through the empty air.

Mitsuru's desperate screams.

She doesn't want to sleep anymore, lest she dream about it again; only with the worst circumstances. Aigis never snapping out of his control, and picking them off as sacrifices one by one. But she wishes to sleep because she needs it– a brief escape from the harsh realities that have befallen them. She wonders if the first week of every month is cursed, as ever bad thing that's ever happened has fallen on those days.

The accident.

Aragaki's murder.

And now this.

She doesn't want to think anymore.

* * *

 _November 5th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Earlier that day she'd received a text from Sanada-senpai, informing the group to meet him in the command room. Everyone but Kirijo-senpai and Aigis are there, all sitting in silence as the boxer enters the room– looking equally tired as the rest of them, if not more so. He takes a seat in silence, and she notes the tension in his muscles, the way his eyebrows furrowed tightly together in frustration.

Everyone else was equally upset; but she notes the way that her brother's eyes look; despite the apathy expressed on the outside, the whites of his eyes were red and his mind seemed to be wandering far off. She didn't understand him, not in the way she used to, but the feeling she gets...

He blames himself.

Not just for last night's incident, but for every single one. As their leader, he was in charge of their safety. He was in charge of the people who couldn't fight for themselves, the ones they saved inside of Tartarus. He clearly felt responsible for what happened, even though he had absolutely no control over what had happened. Her worry only skyrockets.

Everyone was going through the roughest patch there was, mental health on thin ice.

...That included herself.

"The Chairman's room has been cleared out.."

Akihiko scoffs at Fuuka's words. "Well, that's no surprise, considering what he did."

She's almost surprised at how normal he sounds, considering they were all in absolute shock. She had thought he'd also be a little shook up, but he seemed absolutely fine. No.. that's wrong. He's probably going through the same amount of emotions as the rest of them, but is covering them up as the only one of the seniors able to function properly.

Can't she do anything to help?

"Aigis isn't here either..." The small girl sighs weakly. "I still can't believe all of this.."

"Me neither." Yukari agrees, her voice quiet.

"It's in the papers, too.." Ken murmurs, small fists balling up. ".. _'Sudden Death of Kirijo Group's CEO_ '. They blame it on illness, though."

"Yeah... It's never the truth." Sanada nods his head, and she can tell that they're both thinking of the same incident as she herself was.

A car accident... A gang fight... Sickness.  
All those deaths that occurred in the Dark Hour were covered up.

"...Nope."

Junpei enters, surprisingly quiet for such a loud mouthed guy, and takes a look around the room– sighing quietly when he doesn't spot the familiar head of red.

"Kirijo-senpai's not here, huh..?"

"She's an only child, so there's a lot of matters to be settled, including the funeral and the family business." Their senpai explains. "I'm sure she'll be busy for at least a week."

Yukari fiddles with her hands. "That sound rough... I hope she'll be okay..."

"So, what are we supposed to do now...?" The newcomer asks, before becoming much more serious. "What'll happen to Chidori?"

"No word yet. They're probably too busy to be thinking about that." That made sense. Compared to everything else, her situation was hardly important. She doubted half the company even knew about the fact they had a girl as prisoner in a hospital. "In fact, the entire Kirijo Group must be in a state of shock."

"I hope Aigis is alright..."

"Yeah..."

"What the hell..?" The navy wearing teen grumbles. "Am I just supposed to wait for them to get their act together?"

"Mitsuru is meeting with the Board of Directors. That might explain the delay."

"I see.." The archer sighs. "...But still, what are we going to do? We have no idea how to get rid of the Dark Hour... We don't even know what we're fighting against."

"What was that he said about 'the Fall'?" The youngest asks. "What would've happened if we'd been sacrificed?"

"There are so many unanswered questions."

Kotone thinks for a few moments, unsure of what to say. She agrees with everyone– there was so much they didn't know anymore, about the very thing they had been fighting against. What of Ikutsuki's words were truth? And what was fiction? She doesn't know anymore, and it frightens her. Nobody has any clue what to do anymore, and she almost feels like they've gone back six months, to before they knew anything whatsoever.

She takes a deep breath, and smacks her cheeks.

"Let's be positive!"

Akihiko turns to her, and smiles. "Yeah, you're right. There's still something we have to do. Tartarus is still around, and there's a bunch of Shadows in it. We should train, so we're ready to face whatever it is we might have to face."

"I agree."

"Right!"

Koromaru, who had been sitting on her lap in silence, barks his agreement.

"Alright, let's break for tonight. Rest yourselves well...even if you can't sleep."

"Got it..."

"I hear ya.."

Minato takes a few moments to register it all, but he slowly nods his head and gets up to leave.  
She's not sure if he took in all of the information that was given, but she's going to have to keep a close eye on him.  
He may have pleaded for his life last night, but he's taken another one-eighty after what happened.

They all begin to leave, but Fuuka stops Yukari on their way out, leaving only the two left inside of the operations room. The girls close the door and share a small look, and the shorter of the pair starts it off by handing over a thin disc.

The pink clad girl tilts her head. "What's this? A disc?"

"Um... There were traces of a video on the Chairman's hard drive..." She quickly explains. "Most of it was deleted, but I was able to restore some of it. I thought... you might like to see it."

Confusion is evident, but Takeba nods her head. "Thanks, Fuuka.. I'll watch it later."

Teal curls bounce as she nods, smile sweet. "Uh-huh. Make sure that you do!"

* * *

Beige walls and pink sheets, a vase with daisies by her bed.

Yukari flops down on the bed, holding the glimmering disc high in the air above her, watching the light bounce off of it in rays. There wasn't any indication of what was on it– no words scribbled in black marker or anything, but knowing Fuuka..

"..So, it's just a normal DVD?"

It would have to be, else she wouldn't know how to work it. Getting off her back, she crawls down to the end of her bed and over the footboard, reaching for her DVD player. She really doesn't want to get up, even though she'll have to later in order to have a shower. She reaches desperately for the button to open the player, and once she reaches she cheers for herself.

"Let's see what's on here..." She pulls the disc out of the sleeve it had been placed in, and puts it into the player. "Oh, there we go."

At first, she's only watching a black screen, but soon static fills it. The background noise is almost familiar, yelling and screaming. The image becomes a little clearer, only a little, and she realises where she's heard that noise before.

This is the video.. of her father.

Only, instead of how it had looked on Yakushima, the image and audio seemed a whole lot clearer. She can make out the kind face of her dad, only it's a little dirty and bloodied up, no doubt from the explosion.

...He begins to speak.

 _"I pray that this recording reaches safe hands..."_ It begins the same as last time. _"My employer has become obsessed with a **loathsome** idea. This experiment should have never been conceived... That's why I had to interrupt it. However, in doing so, I set free a number of Shadows that are certain to torment future generations. But if I hadn't, the entire world may have paid the price... Please, listen carefully.. I cannot stress this enough.. You must not hunt the Shadows that have dispersed!"_

"..This part's.." Different. It hadn't been in that video that Ikutsuki showed them, but with the words her father was saying, she suddenly understood why.

 _"I wasn't able to stop this madness.."_ Her father bows his head deeply, sorrowful. _"He won't listen, no matter what I say... He's under the devil's spell.. Now, the Shadows are trying to eat one another... But if they are reunited, then we are **all** doomed! I'll say this once more... **Leave the Shadows be**!"_

Ah.. she knows what this video is. "This is the original video.. before Ikutsuki changed it."

Her dad tried to stop the experiment...

 _"There's not much hope for me now. I just have one favour to ask... Whoever finds this... Please.. Give my daughter Yukari this message.."_ He looks up, eyes filled with tears. _"I know I promised I'd be home soon... and I'm sorry to break that promise... But, I want you to know.. Daddy was the happiest man on earth when he was with you."_

"...Dad.." Her hands tighten around the wooden footboard.

 _"...I love you, Yukari. Please, take care of yourself..."_ He smiles at the camera, and that's when she hears a giant explosion. He turns his head back, and another one occurs, much closer to the camera. It's loud– deafeningly so, and static returns.

She reaches for the screen. "Dad!? Daddy!?"

Tears stream down her cheeks, the realisation setting in. Those were her father's last words, his final moments. She curls up into a small ball, head on her knees and lets herself cry for a little while. She can't always be like this, though.. She just can't.

"I know one thing for sure now... I was right to believe in him." That meant that their leader was right to tell her to continue believing, too. She had wanted to give up after Yakushima, but he told her to not do so.

She lifts her head up.

"Are you listening, Dad?" She smiles. "..I'm doing okay. It took awhile, but I finally got your message."

She feels like her heart is aglow.

A new resolution awakens.  
And with it comes a new Persona.

 _ **...Io has given rise to Isis.**_

"I'll fight for what I believe in.. That's what you would've wanted.. Right, Dad?"

* * *

The aroma of lavender wafts around her, and it's making her really sleepy.  
She'd borrowed a bunch of Yukari's nice products meant for relaxation in the bath, like soaps and stuff, and now she smelled nice and was a lot more comfortable.

But despite that, she forces herself to stay awake.

Her small feet twitch as she sits in the living room in silence, everyone else having gone to bed. Well, more like they were all inside their rooms. She doubts many of them will be able to sleep too well after what's happened, even though their senpai told them to. It was the entire reason she was sitting out in the reception. Despite that, not even the television is on, the only small comfort of light being a lamp sitting on the table beside her.

The pastel pink polka-dotted pyjamas she was currently wearing weren't exactly something she'd want the others to see, but by this point she's almost expecting it. On their summer trip, they'd seen her summer ones, and they all lived together in the one dorm.. It was normal now.  
She just wished her taste wasn't so childish. Not just in clothes, but in foods as well.

She's such an idiot.

She has more important things to think about.

What's going to happen to Aigis? She presumes that the lab will give her a patch up of some kind, one that'll give her free reign that can't be overridden by a square remote like the ones from cartoons.. But she's not too sure. There's even a good possibility she could be scrapped.  
...She doesn't want that.  
Aigis is a normal girl, too. She's just.. one with a mechanical body.

There's a thump down the staircase, and she squeaks with surprise.

But when she turns her eyes over to it, she sees Sanada-senpai descending down the stairs, raising an eyebrow as he meets eyes with her. She half expects him to call out to her from the staircase, but instead, he continues making his way down, and walks towards her.

"You're still up."

She nods her head. "...I can't sleep."

"I see." He takes a seat by her side. "You should still go to bed."

"Mm.. I just.. don't really want to." She mumbles, pulling her knees to her chest. "...Is Kirijo-senpai... okay..?"

Akihiko sighs, and pauses for a moment to think. "Mitsuru is a very strong person, on the inside.. But it's like her insides have been ripped out."

She wants to cry. She's not an only child, she doesn't know what to say to someone who doesn't have a sibling by their side to comfort them. She's always been so grateful for her big brother's presence during the deaths of their parents, that she's not sure what words to say to someone who needs it. How is she supposed to be SEES' ray of light, when she can't even find the right words anymore?

What good is optimism when she can't back it up?

"...She needs our support.." The words tumble from her lips, and she hears the elder hum in agreement. Her stomach churns, and she quickly decides to change the topic. She can't.. can't keep focusing on the bad. The Dark Hour and Tartarus may still be here, and their calm and cool senpai had her entire lively hood stolen in a matter of moments, but she needs to focus on her own words. _'Let's be positive!'_. She's nothing if not that.

She turns to look up at him with soft rosy eyes. "...Senpai, what about you? Are you okay?"

"Huh..? Me?"

"I mean.. It's gotta be tough on you too, right? Because you're our senior, you have to keep strong for the rest of us.." Her hands reach for his face. "You told me to get some sleep, but you need it more than I do."

Her small fingers run underneath his eyes, over the dark circles that have begun to surface. He laughs softly, raising a gloved hand up to her hand on his cheek and holding it tight. "Is it that bad?"

She shakes her head.

"No.. But I'm still worried." She pouts a little, jutting out her lower lip a little. "...Am I not allowed to be?"

He smiles at her, so gently that her heart is about to explode, and to her own surprise, he leans down a little and plants a small peck on her lips. It takes a moment to register, and by that time he's pulled away from her, but the second her mind wraps around it, her face flares up the brightest shade of red.

"Of course you are." He chuckles a little bit at it, and she frowns.

"It's not funny. You surprised me.." One of her hands covers her lips for a moment, her eyes lowered. Her mind runs through various possibilities, but she soon pulls her hand away and leans back up, kissing the corner of his mouth. "... My revenge."

He grins a little, and she can't help but giggle back. How silly. This definitely wasn't how she imagined her first kiss– a surprise initiated during her worry, right after a serious incident– but she doesn't mind welcoming it. It certainly seems to have provided them with a small distraction, after all.

Curls of chestnut fall onto his shoulder. "Promise me you'll get some sleep, Senpai?"

"You too, Kotone."

She nods; a little too sleepy, and a little too filled with happiness to respond back.  
She's pretty sure she fell asleep on him not too long after that. She just remembers his fingers running through her still damp hair.

* * *

 _November 5th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

His eyes open to violent blue, and opera.

"Welcome." Oh. He's in the Velvet Room again. It's been a while since they last called him in this way. "As I'm sure you're aware, you are currently in a dream. Now then... There has been a change in you recently. Have you noticed? And I am not referring to your change in circumstances. I am referring to the change in your mentality. That is why I have summoned you here tonight."

Igor quickly explains himself, and Minato notices his head slowly. He has noticed. He's become wishy-washy, always switching emotions. After they'd defeated Takaya and Jin, he'd had a brief moment of rest in his soul– he finally felt okay. He felt like Aragaki's death, like his parents' death, was avenged.

But now...

"Going forward, there is one thing you mustn't forget."

He looks up, returning to what was on hand.

The old, wrinkled man waves his hand, and a piece of paper appears on the table in front of him. He recognises it almost immediately, the contract he'd signed so many months ago. He hadn't forgotten. It had been such a strange incident, and the only reason why he was able to see this room.

"I see you recognise it... Shall I remind you of your commitment?" He purses his lips, and Igor continues to speak. "...'I chooseth this fate of mine own free will'. There is no need to worry.. Whichever path you choose, I shall respect your decision. However, only you will bear the responsibility for your actions.. no matter what end they may bring about. Please remember that."

Those words are ominous. He narrows his eyes, and Igor only smiles.

"Well then, I bid you farewell."

* * *

AAAAAAAAAAAA  
tfw u post another chapter past ur bedtime  
i just... DIDNT WANT TO LEAVE EVERYONE ON DEPRESSION CITY...

sorry y'all,,, im weak  
ANYWAY... choo choo we approach the gayest scene in this game  
but until then its depression time

writingsoul– HOLY SHIT are u actually serious?! sweetpea ,,  
i didnt know i had that power omg im so embarrassed,,  
Also. Relatable. we form the SEES protection squad

we'll be... SEESPS.  
that doesnt look cool at all

WELP! i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!  
im going to bed now but i'll see u next time!


	47. newcomer (chapter 46)

AAAAAA i was gonna post this earlier but i was out all day

* * *

 _November 6th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Junpei makes his way into Chidori's hospital room, smiling at her kindly– despite the pains that had happened only a few days ago. He's worried about what will happen to her, and checking up on her has become a ritual. He can't help it, he's in love with her, after all.

"Yo, Chidori."

She looks up with surprise, brown eyes wide and a little frightened. Her face softens up at who it is, and relaxes in her bed considerably. He waves with one hand, and she waves back.

"Sorry 'bout not being able to come lately.." He scratches his neck, eyes diverting away briefly. "..A lot's been goin' on."

She's silent, looking down at her bedsheets.

"Hey, what's wrong?" It takes him a moment, but he seems to realise what's wrong with her. His lips purse tightly, and he begins to speak with a quiet sorrow in his tone. "...So, you heard about Takaya and Jin, huh? I was planning on telling you.. They were your friends, after all."

She looks away, but shakes her head in denial.

"...What, that's not it?"

"I'm scared." She murmurs, clutching her arms tight. "...It hurts. Junpei.. What will you be doing in two years..?"

"Two years?" He pauses to think. That's a long time, even if it didn't seem like it. He didn't even like thinking about next year, due to how much stress he sees it put on the seniors he knows. It's just.. crazy to think about. "I dunno. I really haven't thought about it.. Why do you ask?"

He looks to her wrists with a sigh. Underneath the hospital gown she wore, he can see pale skin peek out– and there's not a single inch of red scarring or blood on it.  
He's so glad... The words begin to spill out of his lips without him even realising it.

"Hey, um.. I notice you stopped.. Y'know, hurting yourself."

Chidori holds her wrist, surprise evident. "Oh.. I guess.."

"That's good. I mean, you have such beautiful hands.." He grins, and reaches for her thin hands.

She gasps, she pulls away from his touch. "Don't touch me!"

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to.." Junpei flinches, hands shooting backwards in order to respect her boundaries.

"This is too painful.. It used to be fun when you came to visit.. But.. it's different now."

"Huh!?"

"It hurts inside.. I can't breathe.." She whimpers. "I.. I can't take this anymore!"

"Wh-Whaddya mean!? I don't understand!" He cries, confused at the words she spoke. "Did I do something wrong? Tell me what it is!"

"Junpei.. Don't come here anymore!"

"But... Chidori.."

Her eyes are like daggers as she stares at him, but they prick with tears. It pulls at his heartstrings, and he really doesn't want to leave. But ultimately, he deeply sighs, and leaves the room– looking back several times with concern in his eyes. He can't come anymore.. Does she hate him now? It hurts him, too...

* * *

 _November 9th, 2009._  
 _Morning._

Minato fiddles with his mechanical pencil, spinning it around his fingers like a toy. Class only started about ten minutes ago, and already he wants to go to sleep. But despite that, his mind keeps wandering off to the conversation he had with Igor, and the events that occurred only days prior. Betrayal, and death. It had been so painful, and he couldn't stop replaying those events. He keeps thinking about things he could have done to stop it– fighting Aigis before she managed to knock them all out, tackling Ikutsuki during his monologue.. But no matter how much he thinks about it, he doesn't have the power to change the past.

If only he did.

Ms. Toriumi slinks her way to the front of the class once more, a board in her hands; presumably with the class roll on it. With her entrance, it's now that he notices how much the class is chattering away, even more so than normal. They whispered and gossiped around him, though what about, he doesn't quite know.

She begins to speak, her usual lethargic tone evident even more-so than usual. "Alright everyone, today we have yet another transfer student... Our year's had four this year alone, but our class has received three of them. That makes it a hat trick."

Nobody seems very amused, and he inwardly groans. She scowls at the classroom, and turns her gaze to the doorway.

"Alright, please introduce yourself."

In walks a pale young man, deep black hair pushed all the way back. The bright yellow scarf around his neck and the suspenders he wore were almost painfully eye catching. They were like a big beacon, screaming to the heavens, ' _dork here!_ '. Which was kind of sad, considering his face was rather pretty.

He bows politely. "My name is Mochizuki Ryoji. I would be grateful if you could show me the ropes."

The new kid smiles, and Minato decides that crawling into a hole would be for the best. All around him are the girls gossiping, going on about how he's 'kinda cute'. It's absolutely ridiculous. They did this all the time, and it didn't even have to be about a new kid. Only a few weeks ago, they had been comparing the boys at their school– citing him and Sanada as some of the cuter ones. He's pretty sure one of the girls thought Junpei was kind of cute– in a dumb puppy sort of way. He wont tell Junpei that, though. He'll get a big head.

"Nice to meet you."

When the boy speaks once more, he finally notices that the kid seems to be staring straight for him. His skin prickles a little bit, though the gaze feels almost familiar. In fact, it was scary how similar this Mochizuki kid's stare was.

Toriumi continues to go on, listing off basic facts about their transfer student. "Mochizuki lived overseas for a long time because of his parents' work, so he may not be used to all of our customs. Be sure to explain them to him."

"I'd be grateful."

"Now then, you need a seat." She scans the room, and she soon points for a seat. "Let's see.. That one's open. Second from the left, in the front."

Yukari raises her hand. "Um.. Ms. Toriumi? Technically, that seat's taken.."

"You must be present to be a member of this class, so as far as I'm concerned, that seat is available." She retorts, and Minato can feel one of her rants going on again. She did this with Aigis, too. "Life is nothing but a game of musical chairs. The rest of you should be careful, too."

He hears the archer sigh.

His gaze turns to the rest of the members of his team in the classroom, and he notes how intently Aigis stares at the transfer student. Her deep eyes were narrowed in a dangerous glare at him, which clearly confuses him as he walks past her to get to his seat.

"Good morning." He greets, and smile softly. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name.."

She hisses. "...You are dangerous."

"Dangerous?" He blinks his bright eyes in surprise. "I haven't even asked you out on a date yet.."

"A date..?" She tilts her head in confusion.

"Aigis, what's wrong with you?" Yukari asks, and the boy laughs.

"Rejected from the start. You're an interesting girl.."

He practically immediately slams his head down on the table in order to sleep. He swears he hears Toriumi go on again, saying how she 'understands Aigis', but he really doesn't care anymore. He's loath to admit it, but the new kid's caught his interest. There's only maybe four months left of the school year– what was the point of transferring now?

And why does he feel familiar?

* * *

 _November 9th, 2009._  
 _After School._

"Heeey, Kotone!" The door slides open, and in pops a familiar head of auburn hair. Junpei quickly waves the smaller girl over, a grin wide on his face. His hands beckon her over, despite the fact she's trying to head for her brother. "C'mere, over here!"

She turns towards him, a concerned look on her face. "Do you need something?"

"You know the new transfer student, right? Has he been introduced to you yet?" By his side stands a tall young man, with dark hair slicked back. She's rather taken aback by how much the boy looks like her brother– from his facial shape to his eyes. It's eerie, almost. Her gaze has to trail back to her brother's seat, where he seems to be preparing to meet her half way, and back to the new kid.

It's one scary coincidence.

Junpei turns to the new kid. "Anyways, this is Arisato Kotone. Her twin brother's Minato over there."

He gestures for the head of blue, which slowly makes it's way over to the three– yawning all the meanwhile. The new boy takes a brief moment to analyse the pair, as though he's trying to figure out in his mind how the two could be related. It wasn't uncommon for people to do that when they heard the word 'twin'. Especially with the Arisato twins. They just happened to have wildly different hair and eye colours; inherited from their parents.  
They both shared the same girlish, feminine facial features, though. Oval shaped faces, with small noses and heart shaped lips. They were definitely the splitting images of their mother, though Minato's features had definitely gotten a little more boyish over the years. He still was more feminine than most.

The boy smiles. "Hello."

"They both transferred here earlier this year." The taller teen explains.

"Oh, I see." He bows his head to the pair. "I'm Mochizuki Ryoji. Nice to meet you both."

Minato nods, and she attempts to come across as friendly. "Are you used to this school yet?"

A laugh, and Mochizuki shakes his head. "No, not yet.."

Despite the fact she'd addressed him, Ryoji's eyes never leave her brother, not for even a moment. That seemed to be mutual, though it seemed like Minato was more or less trying to figure out where he'd seen the poor new kid. She could see it in his eyes– a search for that answer, digging into his memory for this boy's face.

"Hey, what're you gaping at?"

"Huh?" Mochizuki purses his lips tight in thought, looking for the right words to explain why he's staring to deeply at another man. "Oh, um.. I just got the strangest feeling when I looked at Minato.. It's like.. I don't know.. nostalgia? Have we met before?"

"Dude.." There's a concerned undertone to Junpei's voice, and it earns a smack on the arm from the transferee.

"That's not how I meant it!" He sighs. "Anyway, I hope we all get along."

* * *

 _November 14th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Yukari's been looking all over. Mitsuru had completely disappeared before the council started, and one of the members had asked her to find their council president. She wondered if it was because they lived in the same dorm.. Oh well, she had wanted to talk to Mitsuru anyway. She opens the door to the rooftop, and she spots a head of wine coloured curls glimmering in the winter sunlight.

"There you are... I've been looking for you."

The elder woman turns around, eyes lighting up slightly when she sees who it is. "..Oh, hello, Takeba."

"It's rare for you to miss a Student Council meeting."

"I take it someone asked you to find me?" She asks, an eyebrow raised.

"Well, yeah, even though I'm not a member."

Mitsuru clutches at her sleeves. "...Sorry about that."

"They seem pretty busy, with the class trip and all." The brunette shrugs her shoulders, and continues talking with a simple tone, trying to not sound as mean as she did earlier in the year. "I bet you have your hands full, since it's for both the second years and third years.."

"Hmph.. The class trip, huh..." A smile forms on red lips, but her face soon falls. "Even if I went, I'd only spoil the fun.."

"You're not thinking of skipping the trip, are you?"

A sigh, and Yukari's eyebrows furrow.

"You can't do that!"

Mitsuru takes a deep breath, looking away from the shorter girl. A tight frown shows on Yukari's pink lips, and she takes a few steps forward to address Mitsuru directly. The woman turns her eyes to the other in surprise.

"...Ya know, I've been meaning to talk to you.."

"Is that so..?"

"To tell you the truth, you're not the easiest person to relate to." A huff, and she tightens her hands around the ends of her sweater. "But, I know what it's like to lose a father..."

"Takeba.."

Feeling a bit more confident in her words, she speaks strong and truthfully."I decided I should be more up front with you from now on.."

The door opens once more, and the new transfer student steps through. His eyes light up once he spots the commanding figure of the Kirijo heiress. Which reminds her, he's probably never actually met their student council president yet. So.. why's he here?

"Ah, there she is.." He takes some steps onto the rough, his voice matter-of-fact. "I've been looking everywhere for you."

"Mochizuki-kun.." Yukari sighs. "Why are you here?"

"Huh? Didn't you come looking for Kirijo-san too?" He raises an eyebrow, turning to the short girl with plain words. "It's the same for me. There was this guy who asked me to find her. He said that if I didn't, the class trip might get cancelled."

A groan. "Odagiri-kun.. He'll hit up anyone in arm's reach for favours.."

"But, I'm the lucky one who found you, Kirijo Mitsuru.." He moves towards the girls at a surprising speed, and takes Mitsuru's hand in his own, smiling up at her in his best attempt at charming her. "You're quite stunning, if I may say so. Would you like to go out some time? I know this one restaurant; it's on the top floor of a three-star hotel.. The view at night is almost as breathtaking as you."

"..Huh?" An eyebrow raises.

Somehow.. Yukari doesn't like this. Her hand cuts in between Ryoji's and Mitsuru's, and she places her hands on the small of Kirijo's back.

"Senpai! You better get back to the meeting!"

"I-I suppose so.." The redhead turns back, her face a little red. Nonetheless, she smiles gratefully down at the younger girl. "Takeba, thank you for your concern... For now, I will attend to my duties."

Mitsuru leaves without ever looking back.

"Hey, she left without answering my question.." Ryoji mumbles, his hand still hovering where it had been holding the tall woman's own.

She hates those words. They didn't sound good, at all. "...'For now', huh. I don't like the sound of that.."

"Um.. Takeba-san.. How 'bout you? Would you like to join me for dinner?" His voice is seedy, and the words that come after that are even worse. "I know this place on Shirakawa Boulevard.."

He's slapped dead on the cheeks.

"Ow!"

* * *

 _November 17th, 2009._  
 _Morning.  
_

Her hands deftly go through her brother's bag for the Kyoto trip, since the train's scheduled to arrive in the afternoon. She'd left him to pack it, wanting to give him some more independence– considering she did everything for him– but she definitely didn't trust him to pack enough. To her pleasant surprise, he'd actually packed quite a few useful things with him. He packed a couple of jackets, but what surprised her the most to see was a familiar black beanie sticking out of the bottom of his bag.

..She didn't touch that. She knew exactly what it was, and she knew it wasn't her place to touch that item.

He also seemed to have bought painkillers and cold medicine. Perhaps that incident with the typhoon left him with a new outlook on sickness.. She's glad, if that's the case. She really hopes nothing too bad happens while they're in Kyoto. But.. somehow, she gets this feeling that everything will be okay.

Once she shoves some more clothes into his bag– as well as another towel, she gives his bag back, and the dormitory group, minus Amada-kun and Koro-chan, head off for the station. It's a cold and quiet walk, with a little bit of awkwardness hanging in the air. As a result, she hangs further at the back with Sanada-senpai, who carries a sports bag over one shoulder.

She can see her breath in the cold air, and she can hear Yukari and Junpei gossiping between themselves and Minato.  
She's really so glad he has them.

"I wasn't interested in this trip at first, but I get more excited about it as it gets closer..." She turns her gaze in surprise up to the older student, who murmurs quietly behind his gloved hands. "Maybe it's because I'm going with you.."

Her cheeks flush bright red, and her eyes widen in surprise at those words. Her hands grasp at her scarf, as if trying to hide herself behind it. She hopes nobody else heard that.. they haven't exactly told anyone else that they were going out, yet. She's not in the mood to see her brother all pouty, even know she knows exactly how he felt for someone else.  
But.. they were twins. She's sure that, just like how she knew how he felt, he knew how she did as well.

"Oh, uh, I don't mean–– Well, that is, just..?" He looks away, and she sees his ears tinge practically glow in the cold air. "..What am I saying? Sorry, don't worry about that."

"...Me too.." She begins, voice soft– little more than a whisper. "..It's my first school trip with friends.. but, it's special because I have you, too.."

She wants to crawl into a hole. She's so embarrassed, she feels like her skin is burning off, despite the freezing air around her. Despite that, he looks at her with surprise, but soon smiles in response. A giggle leaves her lips, her cheeks rosy red and her smile bright. Akihiko too, seems to radiate with a certain warmth that she can't quite describe with words, a feeling that she wouldn't get with anyone else, she's sure.

Yeah.  
She thinks the school trip will go well.

It's just a feeling she gets right now, but she trusts it.

* * *

i love my gay daughter mitsuru,,  
her happiness? means so much to me  
i also love my actual angel kotone  
and my beautiful angel son minato

ok so,, review time!  
dalzii- LMAO relatable. my notes are the only good thing  
no need to apologise buddy bro  
writingsoul- waaa ur too kind to me,,, it makes me so happy  
SHE IS .. she is a literal ball of love and sunshine,, my sweet girl  
im glad i helped u out! fluff is like,,  
my life tbh im glad i finally can get around to writing it  
we need to like. hold a intervention for minato

ANYWAY idk exactly what the next chapter will hold  
but this one was ryoji filled and i love my good boy

I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED it was fun to write  
see y'all next time!


	48. riverbank (chapter 47)

this chapter... was so hard to write

* * *

 _November 17th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

She's never ridden a bullet train before this trip. It was fast, but a rather smooth ride– so much so that Minato fell asleep half way through. She and Junpei had to shoulder him out of the train, while Fuuka and Yukari took his things. He woke up from his half-asleep state when he saw Kyoto Station, though. It was huge, first of all, and the structure in which it was built was absolutely fascinating. It drew all the students' eyes, and a few had already begun to take pictures of the Kyoto Tower.

Junpei lets go of Minato's arm, letting him walk on his own, and groans. "Kyoto, huh..? Talk about a cliched place to go on a school trip."

"Huh? You don't like it?" Ryoji had met them up not long after they stepped off the train. He raises an eyebrow in confusion, but a smile on his face seems to imply that he's only playing around with his friend. "I think it's a beautiful place to have some good memories of while we're still young."

"Is that so..?" The taller snorts. "Ya know, every now and then, you sound like an old man."

"Really?"

Up ahead in the senior's line, Kotone's eyes search until she spots a head of crimson. Though she continues to stand tall and dignified, there was a change in her expression that wasn't hard to notice. Her eyes were low, and her lips were tight in a frown. Deep shadows have made their home underneath the woman's eyes, and her skin was unusually pale. She looked awful– depressed beyond belief.

Beside her, the shorter brunette follows her gaze, and smiles when she sees who they're looking at. "She came.. Thank goodness."

She nods her head in agreement. "I was worried she wouldn't come.."

"I had a chat to her." Yukari murmurs, voice hushed in secrecy.

She chokes on air– that wasn't what she was expecting to hear. The archer hadn't ever seemed to get along well with their elder team mate, but in the recent months, she's started to become less.. cold towards the redheaded ice queen. It warmed her heart– all she had ever wanted was for everyone to get along. It had always just seemed to be a pipe dream. In the past, their senpai were keeping as many secrets as there were stars, and it had caused a rift between the group. No matter how hard they tried to keep it together, if they'd continued like that, the group would have shattered.

A smile forms on her face.  
Thank goodness.

"I'm so glad you did.. I got this feeling like I wouldn't have been able to talk to her.." She pauses, diverting her eyes away. "I mean.. I don't think I could've.. given her the sort of.. advice and blunt words that you were able to give.. Does that make any sense?"

A laugh. "It does."

They moved in two lines for each class, transferring onto tour buses to make their way to their hotel. The sun was already setting, dying the city sky orange and red. It was definitely a beautiful sight– she's glad that they came to Kyoto.

* * *

 _November 17th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The place they were staying at was in the Higashiyama District, and was called the Godaigo Inn. It was a beautiful, traditional _ryokan_ in an upper class area, and it definitely showed in the decor. Long tables with large umbrellas hanging above them, the sound of a _koto_ in the background. Even the workers buzzing around in silence had a certain air of elegance and attractiveness to them.

"We're finally here!" Junpei stretches his arms out, tired from the trip on a bus over. His eyes become like saucers once he takes in the area of the entrance to the hotel. It was insanely beautiful. "Whoa, nice place!"

"It **is** an expensive area, after all." Mumbles Yukari, her reaction underwhelming when compared to the baseball cap wearing teen beside her.

Ryoji looks around. "Hey, what's that umbrella for?"

"It's for decoration." Minato explains.

"..I see. So, that's the style here in Kyoto, huh?" He turns to Kotone with a lecherous grin on his face, causing her to frown deeply at him– her attempt at the other girls' patented ' _stay away from me_ ' look. She wasn't very good at it, though. "Say, why don't we go hang out somewhere together after this?"

"What kind of reason is that!?" The brunette steps in between the taller teen and her friend, shooting a glare over her shoulder at him. She can't help but giggle a little, she could always count on Yukari to scare off boys. "Ugh. Watch yourself around this flea, okay, Kotone? He'll go after any girl with a pulse."

Her hands wave in dismissal. "He's not a flea, Yukari-chan.. A little higher than that, maybe? A dog?"

The shorter bursts out into laughter, and Ryoji pouts with words being mumbled under his breath– unable to be heard over the girl's laughter. They soon get scolded by the teachers, causing them to snicker a little. This was what trips were all about, right? Being a little bit crazier than normal. Aigis wanders around the large room, scanning the area like a hawk until her eyes stop on a pretty little pond, sitting outside of the slide doors.

She walks over, and the group follows, almost too concerned.

"..Is this one of the open-air hot springs I have heard about?" Her voice carries slightly, as her blue eyes watch a lily pad float around in the clear water of the courtyard's pond. Clearly, their concerns were all too well placed. They really couldn't leave her alone for too long.

Without further ado, she rushes over to stop the blonde girl in her tracks, arms grabbing at the other's sleeve. "That's the courtyard!"

Fuuka smiles sweetly, and joins the two. "Yep, this is the courtyard, Aigis. Wanna go for a walk later?"

"Come on, you can talk later. You're blocking the hallway." Ms. Toriumi walks past the three girls, waving her hand to make them follow her. Once they follow along, she points up a staircase. "Girls, your rooms are that way. Why don't you go get unpacked?"

A sigh leaves Junpei's lips. "...You heard her."

"We'll see you later, then." The shorter girl takes Kotone's hand in her own. "This way, Kotone-chan!"

An idea seems to form in the boys' heads, as they take her other one and pull her towards the way they seemed to be heading. She turns in confusion towards the two taller boys, confused eyes diverting from those two, to her brother. He shrugs at her, and she feels a little more worry fill her heart.

"This way, Kocchan."

"I'm looking forward to seeing the rooms, Kotone-chan." Ryoji adds, his smile wide and almost too innocent and kind considering the fact he has a hand on Aigis' own, pulling her with him.

She stares from her hand in Ryoji's own, to Minato, and turns back to the other girls. "...Well, I will see you later."

Yukari practically blows a casket, grabbing both boys by their shoulders and shoving him off of the two girls, standing in between them like a powerful barrier. Yukari was definitely the greatest handler for the boys.

"Alright, this has gone far enough!" She growls, and glares darkly at the blue haired boy. She shoves one finger at him, and gestures to the other boys, as though she were his mother bossing him around. "Arisato-kun, take Junpei and Mochizuki-kun to the guy's room, now! Aigis, girl's room! You're coming with us!"

He nods his head, and grabs both of his male friends by the arms, practically dragging them up the staircase to the second floor– where the boy's rooms were. The girls were on the third floor, which meant they'd have to go past them, anyway.. She can hear Junpei and Ryoji whine in response to their cold and ' _heartless_ ' leader leading them away from the other girls.

"Aww."

"Awww."

* * *

 _November 18th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

On today's agenda was sightseeing around Kyoto. There were two buses, with the students on them being split into four groups. What they would see would rotate– so no two groups were in the same place at the same time. She wonders if Kirijo-senpai had pulled some strings, because their whole group managed to be on the same bus, and in the same sightseeing group.

Maybe not.. Kirijo-senpai wasn't exactly in a good mental state at the moment. It might've just been a coincidence.. She likes to think that she pulled something though, because she wanted her senior to have some fun on this trip. She really needed it, after what had happened.

Their first location of the day was the temple _Kiyomizudera_ , which was built on the base of the _Otowa_ Waterfall, in the wooded hills of east of Kyoto. Most of the girls seemed to be ridiculously excited, considering that the temple was the home of the _Jishu_ Shrine. Compared to any of the photos they saw, it was truly magnificent to see in real life. They really were lucky to be able to come during late November, since that was when they lit up the autumn leaves on the trees around the temple. It wasn't like anything that Kotone had ever seen before– lit up like the heavens, with crowds of both students and tourists hanging around.

By her side stands her brother Minato, who had bundled up in the cold weather. Sitting atop his head was the all too familiar black beanie, with a thick coat overtop his school uniform. Even she'd gotten a little cold when they'd woken up in the inn, and she'd thrown on her own coat and scarf. She smiles sweetly at him, noting how his pale cheeks and nose were dyed red from the cold nip– as was her own, she was sure– and she tugs him to follow the others into the main hall.

"Kotone-chan! Arisato-kun!" Fuuka calls for the two from where she and Yukari stand by the shrine, just behind the hall. Somewhere close by was the other male members of their group, the senior Sanada, Junpei, and the new kid Ryoji. They have to push through crowds of other people to meet up with the rest of the group, and once they get there, Fuuka takes the female twin by the hands and pulls her over to the shrine– letting the boys take care of their blue haired leader. "We were going to pray. The itinerary said that this was a shrine for love and match-making. Would you like to join us?"

She can't help but giggle a little–– she really doesn't need to pray for match-making anymore. But she can't help but want to do it anyway, it was a part of the experience. She follows them along to the front of the shrine, spotting the one of the two ' _love stones_ ' that sat out front. She wonders if any of her friends will try finding the other.

Minato watches the three girls leave, and he sighs deeply; deciding to make his way over to the boys. In Junpei's hands was a camera, and Ryoji was pulling various poses in front of the hall, presumably letting Junpei take as many photos as he wanted. It's really silly, he thinks, but it's also something that came with the trip. It was fun, anyway, loathe as he was to admit it.

"Arisato." Sanada gives a small wave of one gloved hand, and he waves back, without really thinking about it. Grey eyes trail from the face of the leader to the hat sitting atop his head, and he can't help but feel small underneath that gaze. He recognised the beanie– which was something he should have predicted. Was it okay for him to keep it? He... He didn't want to let it rot inside that empty room. It was important to him, after all. "It suits you."

He can't help but smile at those words.

"Nice!" There's a clicking noise, and he turns his surprised gaze to where Junpei had taken a photo of that. "You actually got him to smile, Sanada-san! Sweet! Kocchan'll love this photo. It's, like, once in a blue moon that we get to see him smile like that, anyway, she'll be so happy that we've got a photo of it."

The three laugh, causing a frown to form on the shorter boy's face.

* * *

Their final location of the day was another shrine, the _Yasaka_ Shrine. The sun was already beginning to lower in the sky, causing an orange hue to paint the surrounding areas. Despite that, the location they were in couldn't be any more beautiful, thanks to the hundred amongst hundreds of lanterns that lit up the dance stage. Junpei had gone with the two girls to take a photo of them praying at the shrine, which left the other four to hang around and mostly just chat while they take in the sights of the shrine.

Kotone had spotted a _taiyaki_ stand not too far from the shrine, and had excitedly run off without listening to anyone's warnings about how dangerously close to nightfall it had begun. They were presuming she'd return with more than one of the fish shaped cakes.

She returns with three steaming cakes, trying to keep them all in her arms while running to meet back up with them. It looks a little dangerous, as she runs over with a bright smile, and clearly out of worry, Sanada meets her half way and takes two of them out of her hands. They meet back up by the stage, and Sanada hands over one of the cakes to the shorter boy, which leaves them with a dilemma.

"Oh no!" His sister cries, eyes wide as she looks from the _taiyaki_ in her hands to Ryoji. "I completely forgot to get you one, Mochizuki-kun! I'm so used to only buying three that I forgot you... What do I do..? Um.. You can have my one, if you want.."

Her face falls considerably– and that's all Minato needs to see to know she was looking forward to the vendor food here in Kyoto. He'd fallen asleep to her excited babbling about different shops and restaurants on the train, which had only combined with the smooth trip to provide him the perfect napping place, but he understood that the food here was one of the main reasons why she was so excited.

Ryoji shakes his head. "You can keep yours, Kotone-chan! We'll just have to share!"

The second those words leave the taller second year's lips, Sanada narrows his eyes and immediately shoves his own cake into the boy's mouth. It wasn't hard to tell what emotion was running through the senior's mind–– jealousy. Minato can't help but find it _absolutely_ hilarious.

"You can have mine."

"Ah." Ryoji pulls the baked good out of his mouth. "...Thanks."

* * *

They'd all returned on the bus not too long ago, the sunset dying the _Kamogawa_ a sparkling champagne. And yet, two girls stand on the riverbank, watching the waters glow like a bubbling river of suns.

"We should probably head back." One murmurs, her brown eyes never leaving the water. "We don't want to miss curfew."

The taller of the two doesn't respond, and begins to wander towards the staircase, ready to head back to the inn they were staying at. But she stops half way, eyes once again meeting the river that streamed through Kyoto. Dead, cold eyes– with not a single purpose behind them. Only a depression and sorrow that few could ever truly understand.

"The later it gets, the more crowded the Shijou becomes." The brunette states simply.

A deep breath leaves the redhead. "...Why are you still concerned about me? Our days of fighting together are over. We have no common goal to fight for, no enemies to defeat... no reason to be friends."

"..That's not true.."

"We've reached our conclusion... Why should we continue on?" There was a certain amount of self-pity in the woman's voice, and it was beginning to get on Yukari's nerves. But Mitsuru only grasped her arms in her hands and look away. "Everything I believed in was a lie. And in the end, I failed to.."

"You failed to what?" Her voice becomes accusatory, normally doe-like eyes narrowed like daggers on the elder woman. It catches the older's attention, and she continues to speak with blunt, and clearly upset words. "To protect the most important person in your life? Is that what you're trying to say?"

The redhead doesn't respond back, and the shorter of the two can only bite her tongue, hard, in response. This was absolutely ridiculous. Everyone was so, so worried about their normally calm and collected Kirijo-senpai, but now that she'd been broken in two, everyone seemed to have become equally as destroyed. Sanada-senpai didn't seem to have a clue on what he was supposed to do, Kotone was struggling to help out, and Arisato-kun blamed himself for everything that had happened!

It wasn't only Mitsuru who was suffering from that betrayal!

"You said you were atoning for what the Kirijo Group did in the past, but that's not true at all. You were only ever fighting to protect your father! That's the real reason you fought, isn't it!?"

She seems to have hit a nerve, as soon, the elder of the two raises her voice.

"So what!? So what if that was the reason I fought!?" Mitsuru practically screams, her eyes wide and a hand on her chest, grasping onto the fabric desperately as her cries rang out in the empty air. "The look on my father's face after that incident ten years ago was that of a man who'd died inside! Like he had no right to live because he blamed himself for everything that happened! It was so he'd never have to look like that again that I've fought all this time! But you saw what a joke it all turned out to be! I was right there, nearest to Ikutsuki this whole time! Yet I fell right into his trap and was helpless to stop him! It was all for nothing in the end.. I may as well not have existed!"

Yukari clicks her tongue loudly, and without a second thought, she steps forward and slams her open palm against her senior's cheek, leaving a bright red mark against the pale skin. It takes a moment to register in the senior's mind, but once it does, she gasps softly and raises a hand to her cheek, wide eyes turning to the junior girl.

"I'm sorry." She apologises, but her eyes were still hard. "But whether or not it was all for nothing remains to be seen!"

"..Takeba.."

"Hey, did you know I used to live around here?" Yukari asks, the sudden change in topic confusing her senpai. "After my dad died, my mom spent all her time throwing herself at random men.. I couldn't stand seeing her acting like that, so I used to come out here to the river bank to get away."

The older woman can't tell what's quite going through her junior's mind.

But the younger only continues on, despite the slight shake her voice was gaining at the memories resurfacing as she spoke. "My belief in my dad was all I had.."

"Your father was only doing what he thought was best.." Mitsuru says, trying to get the point across.

"Yes, but it was still wrong." She counters, and crosses her arms tight to her chest. "So he fought to the end to try and make up for it. He never gave up.."

She thinks for a moment, whether or not the words she wants to say next are a good thing or a bad thing. Ultimately, she decides to tell Mitsuru the truth. There was going to be no more secrets between the group. They were all going to be open with one another from today onwards.

"The video that we saw on Yakushima.. It was a fake." The senior gasps in response, and all Yukari can do is nod her head. "Ikutsuki tampered with it, to make it back up his own story. Fuuka recently found the original copy, and gave it to me to watch. He believed that Shadows were dangerous, and that they needed to be stopped, even if it meant loosing his life.. That's why I've decided to fight. I want to continue fighting to destroy the Dark Hour. Because I want to carry out my father's will."

"...Carry out his will..?"

"That's all I––no, we, can do from them, Mitsuru-senpai." The senior takes a deep breath, realisation coming over her.

"...Takeba..." She steps towards the river once more, back to the girl she was speaking to. "You're right. Nothing's over yet. So I'll just have to see it through to the very end. For my father in heaven... And for you."

A smile forms on the younger girl's lips, and she looks ready to cry. "Senpai!"

"Yukari.." She can't help but blush a little when the older girl uses her first name. "Will you stand with me until the end?"

"Of course."

"Thank you."

A laugh bubbles up in the brunette's throat, and she excitedly puts her hands on the taller's shoulders. "Well, I guess we should go and take a bath now!"

"T-Take a bath together?"

"Yeah, in the outdoor hot spring back at the inn. It's really nice." She snickers a little, and excitedly throws her hands high into the air, cheerfully imitating a certain member of their group. "Now that we have everything out in the open, there's nothing left for us to hide!"

"...Nothing?" Her cheeks flush.

"H-Hey, stop blushing! I didn't mean it like that!" Despite her words, her cheeks are also bright pink. "Anyway, we should really get going. It's already past curfew."

Yukari leaves first, and leaves Mitsuru to stare up at the sky, wistful eyes filled with quiet tears. The breeze is a little cold against the fresh slap-wound on her cheek, and it stings just a little, but despite that, she can't help but smile.

There's no need to worry, Father.. I am not alone." Her voice is soft, a whisper to only be heard by the angel's ears. "...And I'll never look back again."

The resolution in her heart has awakened a new Persona.  
It's like a blessing, received to help her move forward in the fight.

 _ **...Penthesilea has given rise to Artemisia.**_

"Please watch over me."

* * *

this chapter should be titled  
flora shows off how much research she does  
so! the hotel that the gang stays at doesnt exist,  
but the higashiyama district does!  
its one of the most well preserved historic districts in the city,  
where you'll be able to experience the traditional old kyoto

after analysing the pics that come in the scene where they go on the sightseeing bus trip,  
i decided that the most likely locations that they went to on that day were the kiyomizudera and yasaka shrine  
both are very famous, popular sightseeing places! they're very beautiful to look at  
the river and the riverbank are real places too!

anyway.  
i love my lesbian daughter mitsuru and her bisexual gf yukari  
this was a very them heavy chapter and i loved it..  
theyre on first name basis now, which is a very very very intimate thing to do!  
that whole 'first name basis' thing'll come back up in the future, i promise

anyway, review time,,  
DAlzii- welp.. we'll just have to see, huh?  
writingsoul- honestly? your entire review is just Relatable  
i love all my good children

ANYWAY i hope y'all liked this chapter! my notes got a little long  
i'll see y'all next time!


	49. discussion (chapter 48)

.

* * *

 _November 18th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Her fingers slide around her _yukata_ quietly, trying to figure out if she had it on right. She's never put one on properly by herself before–– the last time she wore one, Kirijo-senpai's maid (.. _Saikawa-san?_ She can't remember the lady's name..) had put it on for her. So calling her a little anxious was definitely not an exaggeration. She twirls and moves her arms and legs around, trying to see if any of her skin peeks through the fabric, and finds herself sufficiently surprised, but not unhappy, when it doesn't.

Still, she's not sure how she feels about the colour blue on her.  
It's always been her big brother's colour–– when they were little, it was how their parents dressed them, and it had become a habit that stuck.  
She's always been a little scared to experiment with colours, due to the bright shade and vibrancy that her eyes had.

...Well, it looks nice enough. It's just for wandering around the inn.

She quickly exits the room she shared with the three other girls from their group, and meets up with Aigis and Fuuka, who had been sitting outside in the hallways, enjoying the surprisingly relaxing air of the inn. The shorter of the two had a canned coffee in her hands, and the robotic girl was chatting up a storm about wanting to find a way into the boys' room, insisting it was unfair she wasn't allowed to stay with their leader.

"Ah, Kotone-chan!"

"Kotone-san," Aigis begins, and she tilts her head in curiosity. "I just saw Yukari-san and Mitsuru-san leave the room together."

Deciding that whatever that meant was a good thing, she found herself sliding onto the three-seat sofa beside Fuuka, raising her eyebrows in a mixture of shock and disbelief. Mitsuru had been so depressed and quiet, but if it were Yukari..

Fuuka quickly adds on. "They were talking together. It was really strange to see them so cheerful together.."

She can't help but begin to smile wide when she hears those words; Yukari really was the best person to trust when it came to Kirijo-senpai. She really couldn't figure out exactly why the brunette was so good at that sort of thing, but she wonders if it was just because of the other's kind, but honest nature. Kotone knows all too well now, her 'gentle words and time' method wouldn't have been good for their senior.

..It hadn't done anything for Minato, after all.

She bites down on her bottom lip, hard.

Perhaps it was time for a change in tactics with her brother.

"I think we don't have to worry about them, anymore." She begins, voice soft enough for only the other two girls to hear her. The things she was saying weren't for the ears of anyone else but the members of SEES. "In fact, I say they're probably a lot closer now thanks to what's happened."

The two are evidently confused by her words. "Hm?"

"Sad times, or rough patches may constantly find their way to us.. but they'll always bring us closer together once they're over." Her fingers twiddle slightly, playing with the soft fabric her robe was made out of. She can't help but try and distract herself, the words she was currently saying were the sort that she'd keep to herself, and silently use to support everyone.

"They might be able to destroy us, and we might even begin to fight because of them.. but they shouldn't ruin what we've created. These bonds we have.. even if we're a little frayed, and a little messy.. they're the most important thing we all share. Despite our issues, we still all trust each other with our lives, and when it's all over, we all manage to find our ways back to each other. And I think that's the important part. We may fight each other, and we may not entirely get along at times.. but there's still trust, and more importantly, friendship."

Fuuka's lips part, and her friend's name spills from them. "..Kotone-chan.."

"But that's just my way of thinking!" She laughs, raising her hand to her face– weakly attempting to hide the flustered expression that was making itself known on her cheeks. "How embarrassing! I totally sounded super cheesy, like one of those characters on a kids anime! But I still think what I said has merit."

Aigis nods her head, blonde curls bouncing with each movement. "You are correct."

"Yeah!" The teal haired girl takes one of Kotone's hands in her own, giving it a tight squeeze. "We may not know exactly what our objective is anymore, or what we're fighting against, but we all still have each other. And we'll all be ready for when, or if, something happens."

"Right!"

Things will be okay.  
She just hopes her brother knows that.

* * *

Junpei finds himself fiddling with the aluminium bag of chips, not wanting to go asleep just yet on their school trip. Yeah, it was the second day and all, but the first day he was so tuckered out from just getting there! He had the right to sleep then. Now it was fun time.

Or, y'know, it would be, if Minato would return back to their room. Their leader had literally dropped of the face of the earth in about four seconds flat, surely breaking some kind of record. He was really good at doing the whole disappearing act, it was almost scary. He'd begun to realise why Kotone was always so adamant on checking up on him, like she had some sort of leash on him. Well, if he wandered out of the inn, the teachers'll find him eventually.

And there were plenty of people who would notice a skinny teenage boy looking like a lost child.

It was really funny–– the more he found out about their leader, the less jealous he became. When the year had began, Minato had been this cocky and quiet asshat with powers he didn't deserved, who showed everyone up with them just because he could. He was chosen for everything by their senpai, and it had made him green with an ugly jealousy. But as the blue haired boy had opened up, the more he realised that there was no point in thinking that way.

Minato was an absolute idiot when it came to people, who had not a single drop of social grace. He lacked any awareness for his surroundings, but despite that, he had an incredibly empathetic soul. He comforted Yukari on the beach, and Aragaki-senpai opened up enough to him that he'd been able to convince the senior to cook them all dinner once.

"Where's Minato?" The bare feet of Ryoji tap against the _tatami_ of their shared room, approaching with each small step. "He was here just a moment ago.."

And yet, despite how he thinks, the words that leave his mouth a harsh. "Who even knows with that guy.."

"That's rather cold, you know.. Aren't you guys dorm mates and all?"

"Well, yeah, but.." His head falls into his chin with a grumble leaving his lips. "Lately, I don't know what's been going on with him. I don't even think Kotone knows."

Ryoji purses his lips tight, but soon takes a seat on the floor beside the baseball cap wearing teen. It takes a few minutes for the other boy to respond, but once he does, it sort of blows Junpei away.

"He's just having a hard time because he's too kindhearted." When the blue eyed teen takes note of the raised eyebrow, he continues. "He's just like that sister of his, or at least from how she's been described to me. She's awfully cold when I approach her.."

"That's because you flirt with her."

"Yes, well.." He clearly can't think of an appropriate response to that, considering it was nothing but the truth. So instead, he turns his gaze to the moonlight peeking through the windows. "Anyway, he's kindhearted, even if he acts like a total asshole at times. I think.. he might just be hopelessly awkward. We're often dragging him into our mischief, and he's only ever been standoffish, but has he ever once said anything mean or complained?"

Junpei needs to think about that. In the beginning, he would get the usual _'I don't want to'_ or _'you're too close'_ , but as time went on, Minato had stopped complaining and started to simply just.. go along with it. When did that start happening? Was it on Yakushima? Minato had become a lot more open after then.. and then when he and Aragaki-senpai started chatting, it wasn't hard to spot Minato smiling.

But he'd shut himself off after everything that had started to happen.

It was worrying everyone– the amount of utter shit they'd all been through was seriously putting some pressure on their _fearless_ leader.

"I think.. or rather, I get this feeling like he shuts himself off from everything to keep himself from hurting others, and to avoid being hurt himself. It's become like a huge case of ice around him, one he wont let anyone through." He tucks his hands into his sleeves. "I think he just wants to protect and get along with everyone."

"You sure do understand him."

"Well.. It's like I know him like I know myself.." Ryoji sighs. "I don't quite get it myself."

"Huh.." He needs some more time to really let this all sink in. "..He's awkward, huh..?"

"Yep! Which is why you should let things slide with him."

He scratches short locks of black hair. "Jeez.. First Kotone, and now you.. Guess I got no choice."

* * *

Sanada had asked if he'd play a game of table tennis with him. Well, no, rather.. he asked if Minato would follow him, and he just sort of.. did. He got this feeling like he wouldn't be able to deny, anyway. There was something to how he was invited that seemed to imply that he wasn't going to be able to get out of this one.

The little orange ball shot right past Minato for yet another time, hitting the wall behind him with a loud ' _thwack_ ', and it briefly runs through his head that this truly might just be a way for the senior to kill some time. Maybe he didn't want to talk at all, and he just wanted to play a game of table tennis. But if that were the case, he picked the wrong partner. His reflexes weren't exactly fast enough for someone who had as much power behind his hits as Sanada.

"What's wrong?" His senpai asks, folding his arms tight. "You're doing nothing but defending. If you don't attack, you'll never win."

He quickly bends down to pick the ball back up, and returns to the table to shoot the ball over the small net. The ball clacks back and forth between the two, a simple rhythm that seemed to droll on in the deepest part of his mind, only for him to return back at the sound of his senior's deeper voice speaking again.

"Defending is important, but isn't it more important to find something worth defending?" As he finishes his sentence, he slams his paddle into the ball for another powerful hit, sending it flying into the wall once more. Minato bites down on his tongue; he so desperately wants to say something to embarrass Sanada, just for long enough to let him win one point, but the only thing he can think of will probably send the poor boxer into shock.

He decides to not bring up the nature of his senior's relationship with his sister.  
That can be another conversation for later– one he hopes will leave a lasting memory.  
Sanada may be trustworthy, but was he ' _you can date my little sister_ ' trustworthy?

He still thinks it's funny that they think they're being subtle about it.  
Maybe the others haven't noticed, but he certainly has.

"What good is a life that doesn't have something precious to defend?" He wants to argue back, but he's begun to realise that he can't. With the sort of thoughts he had, the creeping, crawling, itching suicidal ones that had plagued his mind for many a year, had he ever once thought back to the things he would insist he thought were important? When he rushed into battle without a single care, had he ever once thought about what his sister might think? She was his precious thing, and yet, face to face with someone who thought the same, he can't help but come to the conclusion that he's only ever thought about himself.

...How selfish.

"True, it does hurt losing something precious. I know that feeling all too well." His grey eyes lower, like a particularly bad memory seemed to flash over his thoughts. Minato quickly taps the table, bringing his senpai back into the real world. The place where you only had yourself and your thoughts wasn't a nice one to stay in.. He knew that all too well.

Sanada takes a deep breath. "That's how it always goes. You only realise how precious something is once you lose it. But even so, having and losing something precious is a million times better than living an empty life. Even if it hurts."

Minato bites down on his lip as it quivers, and tries to think of a comeback. But he can't, so he decides to speak the truth.  
The honest, whole truth.

"..I keep blaming myself.. I keep thinking, _'I have this special power, so why can't I protect anyone'_.. I don't think I'm worth being a leader. I always think, maybe if I had awoken to my Persona a little earlier, I could've saved my parents. I could've saved Kotone from this life of fighting.. but it didn't work out like that." He draws another slow breath, a thin hand reaching for blue locks. "And.. then I think about Aragaki.. I could've prevented that, too.. If I hadn't hesitated like I did, if I hadn't been so unsure.. He'd still be alive."

He can feel tears prick in his eyes, and he desperately holds them back.

"And then, _oh my god_ , Kirijo's father.. If I had only responded quicker to Aigis going into Orgia mode, I could've prevented that too.. If I had just trusted my instincts about Ikutsuki.." It's all coming out now, he's spilling everything to his sister's _**boyfriend**_ of all people! This is so ridiculous. "I keep thinking, _'just how do I atone for this? My failures?'_ and I realise that maybe death was the best form of atonement. But if I had to die, I didn't want to be Ikutsuki's damn sacrifice. I wanted.. I wanted to do it my own way."

Without a second beat, the ping pong ball finds itself flying straight for Minato's forehead, causing him to hit the wall behind him with a loud thump, and a large bruise to form right in the middle of his forehead. He takes a few moments to recover, rubbing the tender wound desperately, the tears that had threatened to spill all but pouring down his face, but he looks up to the culprit.

Sanada holds the paddle tight. "Don't be such a dumbass. Dying for what you've done is never the right choice, no matter what you've done. I'm not going to tell you how to live your life, but dying isn't the right thing."

"..Senpai.."

He bites down hard on his lower lip, finally drawing blood. He wonders if that's what his senior wanted to say to Aragaki. After all, it was what he wanted to say to him. If he had gotten the chance, he wished he could at least tell Aragaki what he felt–– not that he was in love with him, but that he was fond of him. They were two different things in his mind, different but also similar. He wished he could tell Aragaki to not give up on his life, to continue to fight.  
But if losing something you loved is better than not loving at all, than maybe it was okay for him to not say anything.

"I think you and Kotone should have a talk sometime soon. Not while we're on this trip– but definitely some time in the close future." Akihiko walks over, and helps the younger boy to his feet. "She's your precious thing too, right? You joined SEES to protect her, so, she deserves to know what you've been feeling."

"..Right."

* * *

THIS CHAPTER.. is short.  
im sorry! its the middle of winter and im not feelin well  
anyway what it lacks in length it makes up with in substance  
i feel like character wise? this chapter was important

anyway.  
to make ur reading experience better?  
u should listen to bad recorder covers of old songs  
in particular?  
everytime u read akihiko parts just listen to a recorder cover of my heart will go on  
its a part of the experience!

review time!  
DAlzii & grim- ur reviews were basically the same but!  
im glad u guys like my notes,, even tho theyre literally just me rambling  
writingsoul- HONESTLY. when i found out that u can take shinji's stuff from his room in game  
i immediately went 'oh im using that for this fic' and this is the results  
this is the lucky Smiling Minato, retweet for good luck, ignore for bad luck  
jealous!akihiko is so much fun to write its so funny when he gets jealous

ANYWAY i know this chapter was short, sorry!  
i'll make up for it next chapter, y'all should kno whats comin up next :^)!  
i hope y'all enjoyed!  
see y'all next time!


	50. hot spring (chapter 49)

four broos sittin in a hot spring five feet apart bc theyre not gay

* * *

 _November 19th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Today's itinerary was a walking tour of Kyoto. In a deep contrast to yesterday, Kirijo-senpai was excitedly chatting with some of her classmates, and especially with Yukari. Their conversations were bright and animated, and it was almost strange to see such a sweet smile on the redhead's face. Despite that, it suited her much more than the depressed scowl that had seemed too make permanent residence on her lips in the past few weeks.

Minato too, was casually following Ryoji and Junpei as they pointed out the various _maiko_ and _geisha_ who wandered down the streets of Higashiyama. While he didn't react quite the same way as they did– pointing out how attractive some of the women were. Ryoji, in particular, was doing his best to flirt with some of the local women, though it didn't seem to be going quite well for him. It seemed like the two had designated Minato as their photographer, as he held a small camera in his hands and was occasionally taking pictures of the two boys–– though, admittedly, in her eyes it looked like he was having more fun taking pictures of the surroundings.  
Whatever made him happy.

Kotone had decided to buy Amada-kun and Koro-chan some souvenirs from Kyoto, considering that they couldn't come along this time. Maybe one day, in the near future, they could all come back here again; this time as a complete group. She'd love to see all of the city, without the restrictions of a school trip's schedule. But despite that, for her very first school trip, this definitely was the best possible one she could've ever gone on.

Picking out things for a little boy and a dog was a lot harder than she expected, though. Amada-kun in particular made things really hard, considering he always mentioned how much he didn't want her to buy him childish things. It had never stopped her, though.

"Fuuka-chan!" She calls for the teal haired girl, who had been observing some items of a nearby shop through it's windows. "What do you think Amada-kun would enjoy from Kyoto?"

The shorter girl turns her gaze to her friend, pink lips pursed tight in thought at the question. Looks like she was right– Amada _was_ hard to buy for. Since he both acted his age, and acted like an old man, it was hard to figure out what he'd like. Ultimately, the support Persona-user makes her way over, to take a look at what Kotone was trying to decide between.

A small bag of _yatsuhashi_ , or some cute little charms.

"Oh!" She gasps, surprisingly the slightly taller girl. "Amada-kun said he wanted _namayatsuhashi_! I asked him what he'd like us to bring him back, and that's what he said! He insisted that he didn't want anything, but then he subtly said that he wouldn't mind that."

She giggles; that sounds like Amada-kun alright. He tried so hard to come across as mature, that he tended to make himself look the exact opposite instead. If she were being honest though, she preferred him to act more like he was his age. Maybe it was an oddly maternal instinct of hers, but she just didn't like the idea of him growing up too fast. It was why she wanted him to have a normal childhood, with playing and friends his age, instead of constant fighting and comrades nearly ten years older than him.

"Then, I'll buy him that."

"I think he'll love getting a souvenir from you, Kotone-chan!" Fuuka giggles. "Once you're done buying that, Aigis and I were taking a look at some hair accessories! I thought you might like to see some of them!"

"Ah, okay! I'll be there soon!"

* * *

 _November 19th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The four boys sit in the natural hot springs, taking as much time as they can to relax during the men's hour of use. Especially since it was their final day in Kyoto, they wanted to get as much out of it as they truly could. A wet towel lay across Minato's forehead, his head resting on the edge of the springs as his eyes close up, the warmth lulling him into a sense of security and easing him into dream land. Which.. probably wasn't a good idea, which was why Ryoji kept leaning over every five seconds to poke him in the face– making sure he was still alive.

Once the taller boy pulls away, he begins to snicker as he talks to Junpei in a hushed voice. "Did you notice that men and women use this _onsen_ at different times?"

"Oh..?" Junpei hums, hands running through short hair. "Then, maybe it'll change over while we're still in here. It wouldn't be our fault if that were to happen, right?"

The two begin to giggle amongst themselves, which catch the attention of the much quieter two, who had only wanted to relax. Sanada stares at them with a harsh gaze, arms crossed tight against his bare chest.

"You two!" He growls, frowning deeply. "What're you planning?"

Minato's eyes open slightly, and he turns his gaze to the entrance, where he can hear the familiar sound of bare feet moving around. He frowns, and lifts his head up from the comfortable spot he'd found.

"Shh." He raises a finger to his lips. "Someone's coming."

The four begin to move a little closer together, all making their way to behind the large rock where Ryoji and Junpei had been chattering like idiots. And as if it were on cue, a single tanned hand pull the curtain back and an all too familiar head of brown pokes through, the other hand holding up a towel.

Takeba.

"Alright!" She cries excitedly, turning back into the entrance. "Nobody's here! It's all for us!"

The blue haired teen inwardly curses, because if Takeba's coming out to the hot springs then that meant that the other girls of their team were coming along. That _included_ his little sister. He highly doubts she'd miss something like bonding in a lovely location like this with her friends.  
Aah, for fucks sake.  
How's he gonna get outta this one?

If he didn't have all three loudmouths with him, he'd probably be able to sneak out by himself. Or, if he were lucky, he could pretend to be a girl. He'd always been called girly, so if he'd hunched his shoulders a little and held the towel up to his chest, he'd probably be able to make it out without them suspecting him.  
Though, he doubts there's a girl at the inn with hair quite the same shade of royal blue as his own.  
He's too easily recognised, damn it.

The next one to step out is Yamagishi, who looks around the outdoor _onsen_ with wide eyes, filled with as much glee as her friend's; who had already made her way into the waters.

"It's even bigger than I thought it would be!" She giggles, holding the curtain so Aigis can make her way out.

"So this is an outdoor hot spring." The robot murmurs, slinking into the water after the other two girls. "Unfortunately, it's therapeutic healing benefits will not help me."

The four men hold their breath as they all stand in absolute silence, practically communicating through terrified gestures and glances. It seemed like they still had time to get out, since the scariest member of the gang was yet to show her violently red head. The worst they'd get with these three were yells and cries. Kirijo, on the other hand, would probably murder them and hang their skins up like prizes.

Unfortunately, just as Minato's coming up with this plan, another voice rings throughout the air.

"Give us a moment!" He clicks his tongue. Kotone. "I'm helping Kirijo-senpai put her hair up!"

Junpei begins to scream internally, the evidence provided by the pants-shitting expression on his face, and his voice becomes a harsh whisper. "It's them! Why are they all here at this hour!?"

"Ooh, Yukari-san and Fuuka-san! And do my ears deceive me, or is Kotone-san about to make her appearance?" Ryoji's lecherous grin only widens as he moves through the water. "We sure are lucky––"

The second those words leave his lips, Minato shoves the taller boy's head under the water, watching the bubbles foam up. Part of this was because he would rather die than let this guy see his sister's body, and the other part is because he doesn't want to be murdered by five angry girls over an accident and bad influences.

"Do you want to die, Ryoji!?" He hisses.

The black haired teen kicks his legs and waves his arms, causing water to splash up everywhere, making an absolute commotion. Which was bad, as the final two girls had exited the inn and had made their way into the hot spring not too long after Minato started committing attempted murder.

The water shifts slightly, and it's clear that all five heard the noise.

"...Who's that!?" Yukari cries. "Is someone over there!?"

"What's wrong, Yukari? Did you see something?" Mitsuru asks.

Sanada makes a gesture with his hands, running his finger along his neck and pretending there was a noose. The blue haired boy lets go of Ryoji's head, allowing his friend to breathe the precious source of living that was oxygen, and the three turn their gazes to their senior, who looked increasingly more panicked as nanoseconds went by.

"Shit, Mitsuru and Kotone are there too!" He leans on the rock, voice a whisper. "If the times have changed over, we're in serious trouble!"

"But it was definitely the men's time when we came in." Junpei whimpers, hands trying to find the towel he'd dropped in the water. "Wont they let this slide as a half-joke?"

"You think they'd accept an excuse like that!?" He frowns, and turns his head back to the rock, the only thing keeping them safe from a potential homicide. "If they find us here.."

Minato doesn't like the sound of this. "If they find us here?"

"We'll be executed."

"Executed!?" Ryoji chokes on his own breath, and Minato shoves his hand over the taller's mouth.

"Shut _**up**_ Ryoji!"

The girls all continue to stand on guard, eyes scanning the entire area with clear worry and fear, though soon they begin to sink back down into the calmed water. Yukari holds her towel up, her lips down-turned into a scowl.

"I'm sure I heard something.."

"Heard what?" Mitsuru raises her eyebrow, her free hand stops it's pulling on loose hairs from the bun her hair had been pulled into. Unfortunately, the only response she gets is a worried shrug.

"What about you, Kotone-chan?" Fuuka murmurs, voice filled with concern. "Did you here something..?"

"Kind of..? I mean.. it was really faint.."

"So you did too, huh? Fuuka, could you go check over there?" The brunette asks. "I-It could be a ghost.."

"Um.. but.. I, uh.. Okay.."

The five seem to come to an agreement, Yukari and Kotone were going to check one side of the large _onsen_ , and Mitsuru and the others were going to check the other side. Luckily for the boys, that meant that they were most likely going to have to deal with Yukari and Kotone, unless their luck only got worse and the girls managed to pincer them and trap them in. That seemed to be the idea here.

Ryoji leans his head over the rock, and quickly ducks back down. "They're coming."

Sanada begins to come up with a plan. "We don't have much to work with, but we'll make do. Time to start the mission."

"Mission?"

"A mission to survive. Consider failure an instant death sentence." He puts his hand out in the middle.

"R-Roger that." Junpei puts his on top.

"Let's survive this." Minato's hand is next.

"All of us!" Ryoji agrees.

The four stand in absolute silence in a small enclave with a little waterfall, listening to the small footsteps and moving water to hopefully give them an opportunity of escape. It seems like in the time it's taken them to come up with a solid plan, they've become trapped behind the very rock that had given them brief refuge. God, there really was no escape from this, and what made it worse was the sloshing water approaching. Fuuka's soft voice rings out amongst the steam first.

"I'll go around from the left."

"O-Okay, then I'll head right.." Yukari agrees, but there's a slight squeak as water rushes. "Come with me, Kotone.."

The water ripples as the girls begin to make their ways around the large rock, when suddenly Takeba speaks up again, her voice shaking a little with fear, but her tone trying to play it off as normal.

"Oh, wait! Couldn't there be other guests in the bath, too?"

"If that's the cause, we'll be causing trouble, walking around like this.." Kotone murmurs. The boys all pray for their leader's benevolent sister to call off the investigation, but to go along with how trash their fate has been this night, she doesn't. Instead, she raises her voice. "Is.. Is someone here!?"

Her voice resounds slightly, echoing in the silence of the night. The four don't respond back, enjoying their places on the living earth.

"..I-I guess not." Takeba sighs with relief. "Was it really a ghost..? Haha, who am I kidding?"

"Oh, you heard the boys talking about ghost stories too?"

"Kotone!"

A giggle. The girls seem to stop examining the area around the rock, and take their places in the warmth of the _onsen_. Despite that, it was evident that they were still on guard for anything, thanks to Yukari's hums of suspicion.

"I don't see anything.."

"I'll check the hot-water supply." They hear the water shift around the rock again, and immediately they all scatter to another side. Fortunately, it seems that all Kotone finds is hot water streaming out, as she huffs slightly.

"Nothing there.." Yukari's relief is evident. "I-I'm not scared, y'know?!"

The four move again in the water, clearly not feeling safe where they were standing right now, but Junpei accidentally causes a large splash. They hear Yukari squeal in fear, and grasp onto the other girl for safety.

"Wh-What was that!? An animal?"

"M-Maybe a monkey..?"

"Ooh, like on TV!" This seems to be enough to convince Yukari, and she groans, slinking back into the water. "Just a monkey, huh..? Well, I'm scared enough.. I'll leave it be."

"Yeah.. me too." Her voice lingers slightly, and Minato swears that his sister must know that they're all there. Damn that whole 'twins have a psychic connection' thing. He never seemed to have it with her, but for some reason, she was practically a god at knowing what was on his mind. Despite his thoughts, he's surprised as she doesn't seem to press on, instead returning to the rest of the group was.

The girls all finally seem to relax in the bath. More specifically, it seemed like the human members of the group had relaxed, as Aigis had firmly planted herself down at the very bottom of the spring.

"A-Aigis.. That's not the right way to bath in a hot spring..." The redhead states with a sigh.

Despite her words, the robot doesn't move, mumbling watered down words that nobody seems to be able to understand. The others all simply shrug, and spend quite a bit of time enjoying themselves in the water. The boys see this as their opportunity. Sanada quickly gestures to a large red gate on the other side of the hot spring, and the group all turns their eyes to it.

"If we can make it over there swimming underwater, we can escape." He murmurs, determination filled eyes. "We can make it, right?"

"But that's the back entrance, isn't it?" Junpei's voice is a little high from the fear, and Minato wonders if it has to do with the fact he can't find his towel. "I think the only way back in is through the banquet hall."

"It's better than being found by Mitsuru!"

With those words, they all seem to agree– the idea of going through the hallway in their towels was much easier to handle than being frozen like popsicles by their ice cold student council president. So without any more complaints, they begin to swim through the hot water, hoping that the guise of a dark night and the steam in the air would hide their presences.

"Doesn't the water seem a little hot?"Fuuka mumbles, her cheeks flushed bright pink. "I'm feeling a little faint.."

Mitsuru laughs. "It appears that Yamagishi's ability is ineffective when she's without clothing.."

"W-Well, of course it is!" Her embarrassment at her senior's words comes through with her stuttering, as she fiddles with her towel slightly, trying to cover up more of her skin.

"Kirijo-senpai's too!" Kotone giggles, managing to fluster her senpai, who fumbles around searching for the correct response.

The water ripples once more, only this time, Aigis sits back up out of the water.

"To be honest, I am rather surprised by the difference between human bodies." Her blue eyes trail onto Yukari, lingering for slightly too long on her chest area. "More specifically.."

This causes the brunette to splutter in embarrassment, clamping her hand over the mechanical maiden's mouth.

"Okay, that's _enough_ , Aigis.. Why did you even come back up if you were enjoying yourself down there?"

Just as this conversation goes on, the boys resurface on the other side of the hot spring, gasping for sweet air and the surprisingly cool air. As it turns out, enough time under hot water will make you think that even steamy air feels refreshing.

"That was cutting it close..!" Ryoji sighs with relief.

"And now, our escape." Three of the four begin to climb out of the water, hiding behind a bush when they notice that they weren't being followed by Junpei. Sanada raises an eyebrow, his voice increasingly tense. "What's wrong? Hurry and get out here!"

"I think this is the end of the line for me.." He bows his head low. "You guys go on and escape without me."

"What are you saying!?" Minato hisses.

"Junpei-kun, you have to come with us!" Ryoji agrees. "Come on!"

"I can't!" He cries, standing up straight in the water. "Because, because..! My towel..!"

"Junpei.."

"You idiot."

"Forget about me and go!" Junpei's voice is a strange mix between a yell and a whisper, but despite that, the desperation was obvious. "At this rate, we'll all die!"

"You think we could just leave you behind!?"

Ryoji begins to search around, and off the bush, he pulls a small leave. "Look, Junpei-kun! A leaf!"

..It's a tiny leaf.

"Don't mock me!" He screams.

"Don't give up, Junpei!" Minato leans forward towards his friend. "Didn't we all promise to survive together!?"

"..I'm sorry.."

Little did they all know, they'd been snitched on. Or, more specifically, Aigis had simply said she'd 'seen someone swimming'. It didn't take very long, but soon, Kirijo's powerful voice resounds amongst the outdoor hot springs.

"Who's there!?"

The four turn their eyes towards the girls, who looked at them with utter shock. It took only a few moments, but it sunk in everyone's minds as to what they were seeing. Fuuka screams at the top of her lungs, dropping the 'extra' towel that was in her hand, which she seems to have pieced together with the fact that Junpei was going commando, and Yukari clutches her towel tight to her chest.

Kotone slides behind Kirijo-senpai, her face flared up like autumn leaves, her voice a quiver. "W-Why are you all..!?"

Sanada stands up. "This is a misunderstanding! It was an accident!"

Unfortunately, all words fell on empty ears, as Mitsuru's voice cracked as she raised it. "S-Shut it! Off with their heads!"

She gestures forward, pointing at the boys, and without another complaint, Aigis raises her fingers, the barrels of her guns glimmering all too dangerously in the moonlight. Her eyes are dead on, and she's clearly ready to fire at will.

"It is a shame we must part so soon."

"Wait!" The boys all begin to scatter as their senpai yells at the girls. "Seriously, stop! Please!"

Screams bounce off the cool winter air, the lives of four young men left on the brink of death thanks to a sheer accident gone rogue.

* * *

THIS CHAPTER.. is one of my favs  
also. SEES girls in order of measurements (highest to lowest)  
mitsuru kotone fuuka yukari  
aigis is a robot so she doesnt get a place

im in tears honestly this scene is so fucking funny in the movie  
akihiko goes "cant i protect anyone!?" when junpei tells them to leave  
i started fucking crying bc im laughing so hard

writingsoul- aaa im excited for that too! well, it'll happen soon (lol)

I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED!  
this chapter was lots of fun  
anyway! see y'all next time


	51. fault (chapter 50)

WRYYYYYYY pain train incoming these next two chapters

* * *

 _November 20th, 2009._  
 _Morning._

Despite it being the final day of the school excursion, a day which they had free time to have fun in Kyoto while they were still there, the girls were obviously still absolutely ticked off. They hadn't spoken to anyone other than each other all morning, but the same could be said for the boys– sitting down on a bench in the entrance hall with eyes shadowed over, the memories of last night still freshly burnt into their minds.

"...I'll never forget yesterday.." Junpei mumbles, his voice weak. "I'll never forget no matter how much I want to."

"It was a nightmare." Minato states, being cursed by war flashbacks of the events that had occurred. He never wanted to see the naked figure of a woman ever again. All he could think about was the punishment they received when he thought back onto it.

"It really was an execution." Ryoji hides his face in his hands, a cold sweat dribbling down his spine at the sheer thought.

"I saw a demon."

Sanada leans his head back. "Just ...make an effort to forget."

He doesn't even want to talk about it anymore. Ideally, he'd like to put last night in the metaphorical trash bin of his brain, like he did with the _Tanabata_ Full Moon mission. God, just thinking about the two sights he saw makes him want to burn up his entire mind. ..Not that they were bad sights, but it was more of an embarrassing thing to recall back on now. He'd prefer to just forget it.

* * *

"Everyone remembers what time we're meeting at Kyoto Station, yes?" Ms. Toriumi's voice rings along the room, loud and powerful, but still containing the certain lethargic tone that the female teacher's always had.

The group quickly agrees, though the few students that don't end up being told by the ones who do. Nobody really wanted to be punished by their teacher after such a fun trip. Well, most of them thought it was a fun trip. There was a group of nine who thought the exact opposite.

"Then, please be on time. If any of your are late, I'm the one who will be blamed."

They all split off to do their own thing until the designated time, and Kotone makes her way over to Fuuka; who had been tugging on her long sleeves mindlessly, green eyes scanning the entire hotel. Once she sees her friend approach, she briefly stops.

"Well.. Let's go." She pauses quickly when her gaze lands on the criminals. "Oh.. Iori-kun and the others are over there."

The red eyed girl frowns deeply, unsure of what to do or say. After all, Sanada-senpai had said it was an accident, and she did think that the punishment they received was a little too harsh–– but it didn't stop her from thinking about whether or not they saw anything. She thinks she'd die from embarrassment if they did see anything, though she sort of doubts they did with Minato with them.

..Who happened to be why she believed her senior's words. She highly, highly doubted that Minato would peep on women, considering he'd never once shown any sort of interest in that sort of thing before. And.. she doubted that Sanada-senpai would consent to that sort of thing, either.

A sigh. "Fuuka-chan, I'll go talk to them."

"E-Eh?!"

She quickly makes her way over to the four boys, who look up with wide, almost terrified eyes. She stands in front of their bench in silence for a few moments, trying to think of the right thing to say to them. Ultimately, the first thing that leaves her lips is a very simple;

"G-Good morning."

This surprises them, clearly. Junpei responds first, spluttering out his words. "Oh, g-good morning, Kotone-san."

"..Why are you being formal?" She mumbles, eyes looking away. "I mean.. W-Was it really an accident?"

"Huh?"

"Senpai..." Her lips quiver a little, face the colour of roses, and Akihiko visibly flinches.

"I- uh.." He looks away. "Don't think I deserve to speak to you right now.."

Ryoji and Junpei share a confused look, turning their gazes to Minato as if expecting him to have the answer. He puts a finger to his lips, and shrugs his shoulders. He's not in the mood to piss off his sister any more than she already is, and there's a very thin line of ice that all four of them are skating on.

Her eyebrows furrow and her lips purse tight into a frown, and she turns her back away. "Senpai, you idiot!"

She huffs loudly, and begins to walk away, meeting back up with the other girls, who seemed to have crowded around while waiting for her. She's calling him an idiot, when she's getting angry over something she believes was a genuine accident. It's just that two out of three times he's seen the skin she normally hid up, it was an accident's fault. She just.. wanted something like that to happen on her own time.  
And besides, she didn't think he didn't deserve to talk to her, she just wanted to know the entire story.

That was why she got angry.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

* * *

 _November 20th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

A two and a half hour bullet train trip back. That was how long the silent treatment lasted between the five girls and the boys. It had made the walk back to the dorm incredibly awkward, and only once they stepped through the doorway of the dormitory did they all open their mouths. Simple little sighs of relief, stretches of arms and backs and several yawns. Everyone was tired from their trip.

Two feet and four paws excitedly begin to run down the stairs, and the small group of teenagers meet eyes with the cheerful smiles and loud barking of Amada and Koromaru, who slide to a stop just in front of the entrance.

"Welcome home!" The boy greets, and Koromaru quickly barks his own greeting. "How was Kyoto?"

"We're back!" Varying pitches and tones resound out the response, as the group moves past the two smallest members of their group and place their bags down on the living area's couches, sloppily sitting down with evident tiredness on their faces. Koromaru quickly worms his way onto their leader's lap, earning small strokes through his fur around his neck.

"I'm exhausted.." Yukari groans, stretching out her back before she takes a seat.

"It must've been nice! I wanted to go to Kyoto too!" Ken kicks his legs back and forth.

A giggle leaves Kotone's lips. "We bought you souvenirs, Amada-kun!"

His brown eyes light up at those words, and she begins to unzip her travel bag, pulling the small package of _namayatsuhashi_ she'd bought, waving it excitedly in front of him. He grins brightly, and she hands it over to him.

"Make sure you heat it up before eating!"

"Thank you very much, Kotone-san!" He graciously accepts the food, and turns his gaze towards the three boys. "..Hey, why do Sanada-san and the others look uncomfortable around you all?"

"I wonder.." She can't help but sigh. The boys are all absolute idiots, her brother and boyfriend included, and she reckons that all of the girls overreacted at the time––especially herself. Despite that, she was still a little upset, and she knows that the other girls were too. She was.. more upset at the idea that the other boys saw her body. That was.. something she wanted to keep between herself and.. well, her senpai.

That was way too embarrassing to say out loud, though.  
So she was fine continuing to be angry with the girls until everything sort of.. settled over.

It shouldn't take too long, actually. What happened was ridiculously comical and silly, it should only take another day or two until this whole 'silent treatment' thing blew over and everyone returned back their normal chit-chatting nature. Of course, they had Career Experience in the upcoming few days, so she's not really sure how much time everyone'll get to really.. discuss what happened. But maybe that was for the best. Maybe, no much preferably, they'd all forget what happened in that hot spring.

* * *

 _November 21st, 2009._  
 _Late Night._

There's a certain silence in the air in Chidori's hospital room. She's the only human there, one finger trailing over the pages of her art book with a certain lingering feeling in her heart, the other tight around a pencil, the soft scratching of the lead against rough paper filling the air. A sigh leaves her lips.

What is she drawing?

She's not this sort of artist. She never has been, and never will be. The first fifty-something pages of the book are filled with black and red patterns, stylised and impossible for anyone to understand if they weren't her. And yet, after that, the colours become soft– as does her pencil. Instead of the rough, bold and precise lines she drew before, her lines were now filled with thoughts, and eraser bits lay all over the papers; more evidence of how much she's taken into thinking about the way she creates her art.

A slightly angular jawline.  
A sweet and silly smile.  
Eyes that were friendly to even a wretch like her.

She's never tried portraying this sort of thing before, and yet, here she was, perfecting her brand new technique. It made her heart ache to even look at the picture she was drawing. She'd expected him to keep coming to bother her, to come each afternoon like always, laughing loud and awkwardly making conversation. They stumbled over every little word; she hardly ever responded, yet he continued to bother.

Ah, but not anymore.

She slams the cover down on the art book, and her pale hands grip at sunset coloured locks.  
She hates this.  
Why does it hurt?

Suddenly, everything around her goes dark–– but it's not the Dark Hour. It's too early for that. Without further ado, the intruder alarms begin to sound off, ringing in her ears like a death march. It hurts a little, it's a high pitched, constantly ringing noise that doesn't seem to stop, no matter how hard she clutches her head. Then, her window smashes open, and a pair of figures step through.

"It has been a while.."

Her lips purse. "That voice.."

"I am glad to see you once again.." Takaya steps out, yellow eyes glimmering like a wolf's in the moonlight. He turns towards Jin, who climbs in the window after the skinnier man. "Jin, the instruments, if you would."

The blue haired man steps forward, by her bedside, and places several items down.

An axe on a chain.  
Her dress.  
An Evoker.

She stares at it with wide eyes, disbelief evident on her expression. She can clearly hear the glasses-wearing man scoff.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten what your Evoker looks like." Her fingers shiver as she reaches out for the dark gun, running against the stock of it, maroon eyes on the barrel. She didn't think she'd ever get it back. She had this itching feeling like Junpei and the others would defeat the Dark Hour before she ever was able to get her hands on it again. It just seemed like something they would do.

...Thinking about him made her heart hurt.

Stringy brown hair moves into her peripheral vision. "I trust you do not need to be restrained?"

"..Takaya.." Her lips shiver.

"Surely you understand.. There is no where for you to go.. You _**must**_ come with us." His voice is harsh, as were his eyes. "Death is not to be feared. You need only fear––"

"Yes, I know."

"..Excellent." He smirks.

She shifts slightly in her bed, and moves to get out. Once she is, she only takes a few moments to redress herself in the dress she felt so comfortable in, and to place her weapon and Evoker in their respective hidden slots on it's sleeves. She's returned; Medea has returned.

The two men leave first, and she begins to follow along, turning back once as she exits.

"It's all his fault.. Since the day I met him, I've experienced nothing but pain.." Chidori's voice is a whisper, not willing to let either Strega member hear her. "And I've become afraid of dying.."

"Hey, hurry up, Chidori."

She hums softly. ".. Right. Come, Medea.. Let's go."

* * *

 _November 22nd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

The alarm resounds amongst the dormitory halls, awakening a very tired Kotone and surely every single other member of the group. Everything seemed to have settled down, thank goodness, though there was still a certain.. eggshell like walk that everyone was doing. Once she's a little bit more awake than she is when she first wakes up, she slips herself out of bed.

 _"Sorry to wake you!"_ Fuuka's soft voice resounds in her head. _"Um, I'm not sure how to say this, but.. You need to go to the fourth floor.. and please hurry!"_

The second those words hit her ears, she quickly begins to change into her school uniform. "Ah, okay!"

Clipping on a bra.. sliding her socks and shoes on.. begrudgingly pulling her hair up into it's usual messy ponytail. She really didn't want to be doing this, but it was clearly an emergency. Once she's ready, she leaves her room on the third floor and practically runs up the staircase, meeting her brother half way.

"Know what's going on..?" He asks, voice soft, stifling a yawn.

"I don't have a clue.."

He grumbles slightly, and the two open the doors to the operations room together. Everyone had been waiting for them, but it was evident that Yukari was itching to say something to Fuuka, who was encased in Juno's protective glass.

Once the twins enter, she speaks. "What's going on!?"

Mitsuru answers. "Yamagishi sensed something! ..Other Persona-users. They're outside Tartarus!"

"You're kidding!"

"Other Persona-users..? Don't tell me it's..!" Ken gasps.

"..Strega." Akihiko finishes, a harsh growl on his tone. "They're still alive."

"Those bastards!"

Her fingers curl into fists, long nails digging into her palms until they draw blood. They're serial pests! They had been so sure they were gone; they were **_dead_** , that was basically confirmed by the three who fought them. They jumped off Moonlight Bridge, injuries and all. Nobody thought they could survive that, it was absolutely preposterous. And yet.. Fuuka's Persona didn't lie unless she was being interfered with. And the only one who could do that was in the hospital.

Yukari looks ready to punch something– or someone. "First, the Dark Hour won't go away, and now Strega is back!? What's happening!?"

"How many are there, Yamagishi?" The taller senior turns towards their mission support, his voice calm but hiding a storm of anger.

 _"There's only one, but.."_ Her eyebrows furrow. _"I thought she was in the hospital.."_

Oh. Oh no.  
That's not good at all.

Everyone turns toward Junpei, who splutters out in confusion, equally surprised as the rest of them. Earlier, she had told him that Chidori would need his help learning to live a normal life, and it made him relieved. But now.. if she'd returned to being a member of Strega.. How possible was that dream?

There was a loud crackle of static, and Fuuka's hands stop being clutched in prayer and reach for her temples.

 _"No.. she's.. she's inside.."_ She shrieks.

"What's wrong!?"

"Fuuka-chan?!"

The small girl slumps to the ground, on her knees. Her eyes were wide with a mixture of fear and pain, confusion evident in their depths. Her body quivers and convulses, but despite the obvious torture she was going through, her Persona doesn't dissolve. Instead, she's trapped behind the bubble that protects her, being attacked from the inside out.

Her body stops moving, and a voice that wasn't her own resounds in their heads. _"..Long time no see."_

"Chidori!?"

"She's speaking through Yamagishi!?" Kirijo clearly can't believe what's happening, and neither can anyone else.

 _"I can't **stand** the sight of you all anymore.. So, I've decided to do something about it."_ She taunts. _"Come to me.."_

More static, like a computer system frying out. Knowing Fuuka, that sound made sense, but it wasn't a very pleasant one to hear ringing in your head like a buzzer. It began to slow to a stop, and finally, it seemed like their support member has broken out of whatever Chidori had been doing. She moans in pain, and begins to lift her body back up, shakily, but with a certain strength that forced her to keep going.

"Yamagishi!"

"Fuuka-chan!" Kotone doesn't need anything else, and she immediately runs towards Juno and it's summoner. Her hands rattle against the water like cage. "Are you okay!?"

 _"I'm.. alright.."_ Despite her words, her hands clung to her head.

"What the heck!? I thought she was.." Yukari turns to Junpei, expression accusatory. "Junpei, do _ **you**_ know what's going on!?"

He doesn't respond, and it only furthers her anger.

"Junpei!"

He slams his hat down on the ground. "No, damn it! I have no idea! Just leave me the hell alone!"

Without another word leaving his lips, he runs out of the room.  
And there was only one place that he could be heading for.  
Tartarus. And Chidori.

The group watches him leave, and listen in silence as his panicked footsteps begin to get further and further away, silencing until they could no longer hear them. Once that happened, they all turn back to Fuuka and her Persona.

Minato speaks first. "This is a trap."

"I agree." Mitsuru nods her head. "But, we're dealing with Strega, so we must pursue this.. And if we confront them, we may gain some insight into our current situation."

 _"Please be careful."_ Hands tight in prayer, but green eyes filled with strength. Yamagishi didn't need to be a fighter to be powerful. _"I only sensed one person, but the other two may be nearby."_

"Indeed.."

Damn it, this month couldn't get any worse, could it? With only small words on deciding everyone's position of attack, Kotone quickly makes her way to the weapon storage to grab each weapon. Chidori was dangerous, that much was evident by her choice of words. She had no plans on staying behind those two men, Takaya and Jin, which meant that both she and her Persona had fighting capabilities. They thought she was their version of Fuuka, but perhaps she was much closer to their version of Mitsuru.

She has a bad feeling.. She hopes Junpei doesn't do anything stupid.

* * *

CHOO CHOO!  
anyway i couldnt write this at all  
bc i fucked up in game and didnt find the boys  
so i just.. winged it LMAO  
but lucky lucky me.. we had some big big story things right after so.  
i was.. able to escape the evil clutches of 'fucking up'

LMAO.. im a mess

anyway review time  
DAlzii- hair down ryoji is minato's true twin  
kotone is a fake  
grim- curse that kyoto! and yea.. its coming..  
writingsoul- hope i didnt disappoint lol,  
but we're hitting MAXIMUM TEAM MOM

i hope y'all enjoyed! its pretty uneventful IMO but. it had to be done.  
we'll be gettin some.. fightin next chapter so!

i'll see u then! update'll be quicker next time!


	52. spring of life (chapter 51)

ALL ABOARD THE CHOO CHOO PAIN

* * *

 _November 22nd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

A thin frame clad in white stands in front of the spiralling tower of doom that is Tartarus. There's only one person who it can be, and as they run closer and closer, they spot long locks of reddish hair. Chidori, but the way she stands, with her arms down by her side and a chain hidden in her sleeves, was evident enough that she was prepared for a fight. In front of her, but a little down the staircase stands Junpei, his dark eyes wide with disbelief as he looks to the girl he was smitten with.

"Chidori! What are you doing!?" He cries, stepping forward with one foot. "Why are you doing this!? You know you shouldn't be out of the hospital yet!"

He takes steps further and further up the staircase, and her deep eyes narrow darkly.

"It doesn't make any sense! C'mon, let's return there together!"

As he finishes talking, one of her hands moves very slowly, the ruffles of her sleeves letting the glint of metal out.

"Watch out, Junpei!" Minato practically screams it out, and the taller junior is able to move out of the way just in time as a large axe on a chain comes flying towards him, grinding against the concrete below them with a loud screech. The chains rattle with each movement, and she audibly clicks her tongue.

His eyes turn from the red axe to the girl. "Hey, that was dangerous! You coulda killed someone there!"

Her tongue clicks again.

"Chidori! Why!?"

She brushes out her skirt, and brandishes her axe in one hand once more. But with the other, she holds up a glimmer of black metal– an Evoker, and that's when the others decide to interfere with this lover's spat. Akihiko runs towards Junpei and drags him back by the sleeves, his hands tight around the shorter boy's arms as he pulls him into what was only momentary safety.

"Stay back, Junpei! It's useless trying to reason with her!" He moves in front of the blue clad teen.

"She's dangerous!" Kotone quickly agrees, and brandishes her _naginata_ in a blocking position as she joins her senior in protecting their most volatile member. "I know how you feel, Junpei, but you're unarmed! Just stay behind us!"

He moves to pick a fight, but is quickly stopped by Minato, who also steps into the front lines. At this point, everyone was just doing their best to protect one of their friends. The girl– their adversary, narrows her eyes deeply and pushes the gun under her jawline.

With only a soft breath on her lips, she pulls the trigger. "Persona!"

A woman with a goat's head, in one hand was a goblet burning with fire, the other a curved blade. It makes an unholy screech, and spouts of fire begin to rain down on the group. All the meanwhile, Chidori screams at them, her once soft voice harsh and her eyes wide.

"Takaya was right! You're a nuisance! The largest of the flames is aimed directly for Junpei, and without a second thought or delayed movement, the auburn haired girl guarding him summons her own Persona, who blocks the inferno without little problems. The attack clicks her tongue. "You're just in my way!"

"Artemisia!" The towering queen of battle tactics is summoned, and her whip spirals around the chained hatchet of their enemy, tugging it away from the girl's clutches and over towards the members of SEES– but despite the fact she's now down her physical weapon, it was clear that Chidori's true strength lied in her abilities as a Persona-user. They can't give her the time to gain the upper hand.

"Caesar!" The imperial ruler swings it's sword down on the woman's Persona, causing it to shatter. She hisses deeply in pain, and only summons her Persona once more.

It's burning blaze directs towards the three standing in front of the man she considered 'only a problem', who tries desperately to stop them from attacking her, although it's to no avail. They've all made up their minds– if she wants to fight, then they'll fight back. Nobody wants their lives to end tonight. It looks as though it'll hit, when Koromaru slides underneath the teenagers' legs, and howls to the moon, summoning the guard dog to Hades.

His own fire collides with Chidori's, creating a storm of winds raining around them, kicking up dirt from the ground. They all shield their eyes desperately, and Medea only continues to strengthen her attacks, sending Cerberus flying; along with the white shiba who summoned it. He hits the ground with a whine, and Ken and Aigis quickly run over to help him up.

"Koromaru!" The blonde cries, and quickly turns her gaze to their enemy. "Attack mode: Fire!"

Her bullets rain down, hitting both the tower behind the woman and soon it seems to finally reach her, only for Medea to get in the way. A stray bullet manages to escape being blocked, and slides open the girl's white sleeve. She screams.

"Chidori!" Junpei yells, and turns his disbelieving eyes onto Aigis, who only aims to fire more.

The blood stains the once snow coloured dress, and without hesitation, the girl raises her free hand to her injured arm– and heals the gash. "This pain is insignificant.. It's nothing compared to the pain my heart bears!"

Running forward, Minato slides to a stop and aims his Evoker. "Arahabaki!"

The god of travellers, a large and round stone like monument appears from the leader's consciousness. It zooms forward with a speed she wasn't expecting thanks to it's size, and body slams into the girl's much more slender Persona, causing her to scream in pain. It doesn't take much longer, and Junpei holds his hand out in front of their blue haired leader.

"..That's enough.." He murmurs, and his hands shake as he forcefully takes the Evoker away. "I can't stand here and just watch this!"

The boy who had his summoning tool stolen blinks in confusion. "..Junpei?"

"Please, everyone.. let me handle this... please let me handle this by myself!"

"No, Iori-kun! It's too dangerous!" Fuuka screams.

"Iori, do you want to die!?" Mitsuru's voice is a screech, her maroon eyes wide.

"You think I'd let myself die!?" His clutch on the stolen Evoker only tightens as he turns towards the girl he loved. "And let Chidori become a murderer!? Like hell I will!"

He takes slow steps towards her, and she begins to wander backwards, stopping just shy of the entrance inside of the Tower of Demise. It's entrance glimmered with a soft blue light, but despite it's shine, it felt anything but safe, especially when it was combined with the green glow that filled the air thanks to the Dark Hour. She holds onto her own Evoker tight.

"What do you want?"

"Chidori, just stop.." He leans forward. "You don't want to do this! Why should the two of us fight? It's wrong!"

"It's not wrong!" She counters, her eyes like the dagger her Persona wielded; nothing but sharp and filled with anger. "Because this isn't where I belong! I've known that.. from the very start!"

Medea is summoned once more, surrounded in a cloud of red, and she dives from a large height into the teenage boy, body surrounded in flames and ready to explode, which forces him to quickly shove the barrel of the pretend gun to his head, and pull the trigger, despite the fact his heart was screaming at him to stop. Hermes breaks out of the blue light, and uses it's wings to guard it's summoner; taking the hit directly.

"Junpei!" Both Kotone and Yukari scream his name at the same time, running towards the boy with intentions to help in whatever way possible; whether it was healing or attacking, but they're both quickly stopped by their silver haired senior.

"..Sanada-senpai, why are you–!?"

"He's an absolute idiot.. but he's still a man!" The two girls look up at him with wide eyes as he explains his reasons. "At least let him try to convince her."

"Senpai.."

Minato's grip on his sword tightens. At this point, all they could do was watch. Even if he wanted to help, with his Evoker stolen, he was unable to. He was.. admittedly, terrified of attacking this girl with the weapon he holds in his hand. Unlike Takaya.. Unlike Jin.. She hadn't really done anything to them up until now, had she? She was a member of Strega, but once they took her into custody on that night, she hadn't done a single thing. He doesn't have any reason to attack her directly.  
Unlike the Shadows.. Unlike those two men..  
Hurting humans who hadn't done anything to him wasn't programmed into his mind.

Flames coat the earth, burning up grass and dirt around them.

"What's wrong!? Why won't you attack? You should just kill me!" Medea speeds forward once again as her summoner screams. "Kill me!"

Hermes catches the other Persona in it's tracks, stopping it midair until the goat like beast creates an explosion directly in between them, injuring the two at the same time. The earth explodes from underneath them, and Junpei is hit with a large slab of concrete that had uprooted itself.

He grasps his injured arm tight. "I couldn't kill you.. I could never kill you!"

"Why not!? I'm not afraid to die!" She attacks Hermes once more, and finally, the boy's Persona hits the ground with a large thud. "Death isn't what I fear. What I'm afraid of.. What I'm most afraid of.."

As Junpei weakly steps up the staircase towards her, dropping the Evoker at the very first step, both Personas disappear– their summoners clearly giving up the will to fight, though their reasons differ. He approaches the girl with each step, and finally, he collapses his arms around her.

"What I'm afraid of is.. growing attached to something." She whispers into his shoulder. "I'm afraid of growing attached to something then losing it. Be it things, or my own life, or anything else.. That's why we need to live and enjoy ourselves only in the present moment! And yet you! You came and gave me pain I didn't need!"

It's her words that make Junpei realise something, that Chidori is so very similar to their leader. Deeply afraid, and now faced with things they care for, desperately trying to rid themselves of those feelings. It was plain obvious. His arms tighten around her.

"Chidori.."

"I told you.. to not touch me.." Her voice is so very weak, so different from the screaming girl who attacked with a fury earlier. "When you're with me, Junpei, I start fearing all the things I didn't fear before.. Now, I'm afraid of loss.. The truth is, I'm even afraid of dying.. And I'm afraid of the moment when our time together ends.. That's why I.."

He never lets her go. "I'm sorry, Chidori.. I'm sorry for making you feel afraid. But.. it's the same for me. I'm scared of losing you too. Nothing scares me more than the thought of not being able to be with you anymore. That's why.. That's why we should be together, don't you think?"

She can't hold it back anymore, and tears begin to flow out of her amber eyes.

"Because we're both scared of being alone.. we care for each other so we don't lose one another."

Her voice cracks. "Junpei.."

"Chidori.." The two fall to their knees, never breaking their hold on each other.

The two stay like that for goodness knows how long, and without another missed beat, Kotone leans her head onto her senior's arm, her soft lips forming into a small smile. She wasn't sure how to think when this fight started, if she were being honest. But now she knew all too well.. Chidori was just like the rest of them. She only needed someone who loved her, and people who would care for her. And she got that in Junpei, just like how she and her brother got that with SEES.

Minato seems to understand this too, as his face breaks into a barely visible smile. "They're right.."

Time seems to barely move in those moments, the two only hold each other close and cry out their feelings until finally they all seem to finally relax. Evokers are slid back into their holsters, the presumption that the battle is finally over in their heads. The two finally stand up, and time stands still.

An all too familiar sound of a gun firing fills the air.

At first, nobody knows what's going on, but soon all their gazes travel to Junpei, who stands there with eyes wide and blood splattering out of a fresh wound on in his chest, and he falls down the flight of stairs, leaving blood on each step like a cruel path to hell. He hits his head on the concrete just after the final step, and the blood begins to pool up, both from his brand new gunshot wound and the large gash that the fall creates on his crown.

The screams of the girls ring out in the cold and empty night.

Suddenly, like the devil's shown it's ugly face, an all too familiar sigh reaches their ears. "Chidori."

Chidori begins to whimper, her hands reaching for her ears as if to block out everything that was going on. Her shoulders heave up and down, her breath becoming hyperventilation as Takaya and Jin reveal themselves from their hiding positions, just beyond the doors into Tartarus.

"It looks like you're beyond help now." The man holds his smoking gun still. "You've been poisoned by those people."

"You sons of bitches!" Akihiko yells, and runs up the staircase towards the two, being followed closely behind by Mitsuru and Kotone, the latter slams the blunt end of her naginata into Jin's stomach as the boxer firmly smashes his fist into the long haired man's jaw. Mitsuru's Persona charges up for an attack, which ends up being the best possible choice as Takaya clutches his head and summons his own Persona.

Artemisia attacks with a fury of icicles as the rest race for Junpei.

Yukari brings him close to her, and quickly begins to check his pulse. Her voice is a shiver as she gasps when her hands trace over the area of his neck, and her shoulders shake.

"He's not breathing.."

Their leader takes the taller boy into his arms, and shakes him desperately. "Junpei!"

"No..!" Fuuka's eyes well up with tears.

Chidori stands over them, her eyes wide with disbelief as she stares down at the man she loves– bleeding out all over his friends. Her voice is soft at first, but soon her voice becomes a horrified scream as it sinks in.

" _ **Nooo**_!"

* * *

He awakens in a warm bed, with the gentle rays from the sun pouring through the windows. The curtains move softly with the quiet breeze, carrying the scent of lilies with it's dance. Despite the fact he knows where he is– a hospital– he doesn't feel afraid. His eyes scan the room, until she comes into his peripheral vision. Her sweet smile and bright eyes look down on him, and he feels safe.

"I'm so happy you're awake.."

"..Chidori..?" He's not sure why he's here, he doesn't feel any pain.

"You know, it was only after I met you that I started thinking for the first time.. about what I, myself, wanted to do." She takes his hand in her small ones, and holds them tight. "I want to be with you, Junpei. I want to be with you always."

His cheeks flush. "U-Um, I, uh... I feel the same."

"But.. It's painful. Because we only have a little time before.."

"Before what?"

"We're not like the rest of you. I've known it since I first received a Persona.. For us members of Strega, the day our life ends is.." She looks away, and he knows what she's trying to say. Despite that, she never lets go of his hand. "It was only after I met you that I realised death could be scary. Because if someone dies, you can never see them again.."

She leans down, and holds him close to her.

"That's why.. That's why you can't die here, Junpei."

Her body begins to glitter and glow, with that soothing like that surrounded everything that she healed. From those flowers, to the wounds on her own body.. Yet this time, this time he could feel that power going into him instead. And he realises why he's in this hospital room. It's not reality, anymore, is it? He was shot.. he was punching his ticket and joining everyone else who'd died over the past year.

But she wouldn't let that happen.

* * *

Caesar duels it out with Takaya's Persona, but it's only as the fight continues to rage on that Akihiko realises that his enemy's gotten stronger than he was the last time they thought. It shows on his face, and the man bursts out into mad laughter. His Persona flies high into the air, and attacks the boxer's own with little remorse or mercy, destroying the creation of his consciousness and sending the silver haired teen to his knees, grabbing at the sides of his head in pain.

"Sanada-senpai!" Kotone screams, and leaves her spot slashing endlessly at Jin, dodging grenades with graceful movements.

She moves to the man she loves' side, and holds him close to her, carmine eyes a glare at the leader of Strega, who only continues to laugh with wide, unfeeling eyes.

"I find it endlessly amusing.. that fate should let _**us**_ , who have no attachment to life, be the ones to live!" His endless mad howling only continues as he dodges attacks from each member that was able to fight– slashes from the swords of Minato and Mitsuru, arrows fired with precision by Yukari, bullets from a robot designed to destroy.

Fuuka, Ken and Koromaru stay by Chidori and Junpei's side, watching her with wide eyes as she heals him. They all watch as the wound in his chest begins to cover up like it had never occurred, and Koromaru whines a little as the teenager's eyes begin to move slightly, and open wide. He stares up at Chidori, who holds him tight in her arms, face lit up from the warm glow of her power.

His voice is hoarse and weak, but he speaks. "..I'm..?"

"Junpei-san!"

"Oh.. I see.." Fuuka murmurs, her lips pursed slightly. "Her Persona's power is the opposite of mine.. It doesn't sense life.. it emits it.."

Once that realisation comes to her mind, the next one strikes her like a baseball bat to the stomach. In order to revive someone.. in order to resurrect someone from the dead, she would have to.. She doesn't want to believe it.

Once she stops healing, Junpei pulls himself up and finds himself catching his saviour in his own arms, who sighs and smiles with nothing but relief.

"Thank goodness.. It worked.. I did it.." He holds her tight in her arms, and she rests her head in the crook between his neck and his shoulder. Her small hand traces the line in the ripped shirt where the bullet had entered, until it stops just over his heart. "I can hear the life pulsing through you.. it's saying ' _Badum, badum_ '..."

She giggles, and Junpei's eyes widen in shock.

"Now, I'll live on inside of you, Junpei.. We'll always be together.." Her eyes begin to close, and she falls into a resting position in his arms.

He can't believe it. He shakes her desperately, not wanting to believe what he's seeing. "Hey, Chidori!? What're you saying..!? Chidori!? Stay with me!"

"From here on, I'll protect you, Junpei.. Always."

"I-I'll protect you too! So, please..! Don't leave me!" His voice quivers with each word, his eyes tearing up as she continues to blink slowly, her eyes opening and closing for what he can only presume could be the final time.

A weak chuckle. "It feels so nice when I'm with you, Junpei.."

"Chidori!"

Her hand raises to his cheek. "I love you, Junpei.. Thank you.."

* * *

hey who said that this part of the game was ok?  
this is major leagues fucked up painful

saved this file under: things that are NOT okay

i actually? really like this chapter tbh  
its a very sorrowful chapter, but..  
its one that i feel as though i've done well with

... it still hurt tho

so anyway,  
on todays episode of im depressed and all my children need help,  
we have... yet another death

WELL.. i hope y'all liked this chapter!  
like i said last time, this chapter was much easier to write!

i hope y'all enjoyed and i'll see y'all next one!


	53. dance (chapter 52)

FUUUUUSION-HA!

* * *

 _November 22nd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Her body becomes heavy and lifeless in his arms, her soft lips pressed into a gentle smile as her hand drops from his cheek. Junpei shakes and shakes her body, eyes wide with desperation and his voice a quivering mess, and all the other members can do is watch as he cradles the woman he loved in his arms, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.

"Oi, you can't be serious.." One of his hands, coated in his own blood, reaches for her cheeks. "Chidori! Wake up! Answer me!"

She never responds back, and the realisation of what exactly is going on seems to hit him like a bus, and his voice becomes a loud and desperate screech.

" _ **Chidori**_!"

Nobody moves from where they all stood, Yukari and Mitsuru still holding their weapons in a dangerous attacking position, Kotone helping Akihiko up after the brutal mental attack that the male members of Strega had induced, Minato standing with his eyes never leaving the sight of his sobbing friend. Takaya steps forward from Tartarus' steps, holding his hands out like a preacher as he speaks with his usual tone– dead and monotonous, with little vocal pity for what's going on around him.

"What a _pity_.. Such a _meaningless_ death.."

Junpei struggles to control his anger as these words are spoken, as he bites his lower lip hard enough to pierce the skin. "Meaningless..!?"

Placing his school blazer down like a blanket, he drags himself up off the ground, gently setting the lifeless girl down on top of his jacket before he completely stands up. His hat is pulled down over his eyes, to conceal the tears that stain his cheeks from his enemy, and he reaches for Chidori's Evoker. The black metal shines in his hands, as without a second thought, he lifts it to his temple and pulls the trigger, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Hermes arrives in his usual shroud of blue, but what surprises everyone watching was how all the sudden, the Persona shifted and moved in the light, making way for another figure to appear. The one they were just fighting– Medea. The two dance in tandem, elegantly and gracefully, shifting shades of mystical shimmers, until the two began to fuse into one.

The appearance vastly resembled Hermes, though it carried the shade of red that the girl's Persona had. An extra pair of wings sprouted from it's back, the helmet shape that it's head took became more prominent, with sharp feather shaped blades protruding out of it.

 _ **The resolution in his heart.**_  
 _ **The fusion with Medea.**_  
 _ **They result in the birth of a new Persona..**_

"Trismegistos!" The Persona responds by breaking the light it had been surrounded with, and flames begin to rise from the ground around it's summoner. "Burn in hell!"

The fires explode in an almost rhythmical way, surrounding the members of Strega with each devastating hit from the inferno. The two men desperately try to shield themselves from the attack with their Personas, though they're only burnt straight through with the raging flames of anger. Despite the destruction that he causes, Junpei refuses to give in, continuing his onslaught even though he knows it'll get him killed.

"You'll pay for this!"

Like a hawk, a predatory bird, Trismegistos swoops down with it's wings coated in it's own blaze, slamming Takaya into the walls of Tartarus behind him. The thin man collapses to the ground, and Jin hisses out in anger as he quickly summons his own Persona.

Like a spinning top, it zooms around on the ground, kicking up dust and dirt as hit tries to dodge the attacks of the newly formed Trismegistos. It's single arm, like that of a toy robot, begins to light up and glow with an ominous light, the precursor to a powerful attack. Just as it's about to fire it's charged up beam, it gets slammed into by Aigis' Palladion, grinding it against the concrete with enough force to create large ravines in the ground.

"I won't let you!" She cries.

Jin grinds his teeth together, and quickly pulls the pins out of several of his grenades, throwing them at the SEES members, and Chidori's lifeless body. "You piece of shit!"

The blonde races forward on her metallic legs, firing rains of bullets onto the explosives until they activate mid air, sending powerful shock waves and vibrations to echo in the otherwise silent air. It's all anyone can hear, explosions and fighting. It's just a normal night, though tonight's battle is being continued by the sheer power of hatred and the need for revenge.

Her body is blown backwards, and the metal scrapes against the floor.

The top of his Persona begins to spin once more. "It's over!"

It drops down on the girl, only for Minato to get in the way, forcefully blocking the attack with Orpheus, finally making an appearance after having not seen the silvery musician in quite a bit of time. Both the Persona and summoner shake as they keep the attack from meeting with the intended target, and all Minato can hear in his head is Pharos' words.

 _'People can only live alone'_.  
He's wrong.  
 _'It's better to avoid connecting with others'_.  
He's wrong.

"I'll mark all of you.. and blow you all to shreds!" Electricity begins to surround Jin's Persona, who quickly speeds backwards and away from the adversary group's leader, sparks flying as it charges up what he believes will be the finishing blow. He'll kill them all right here, right now.

Minato's blue eyes move from his Evoker to Yukari and Mitsuru, who help each other stand up straight. They speak soft, whispered words of reassurance, holding each other close as they continue to stand tall. His gaze washes over Ken, Koromaru and Fuuka, who desperately protect Chidori– who he'd believe was only peacefully sleeping if he didn't know what had just happened. Even Kotone and Akihiko, who stand by Junpei's side like they were his tamers, seem to be supporting each other despite the fact they were face to face with death; covered in wounds and without the ability to move properly.

 _'No matter how precious something is, once it's gone, there's nothing left of it'_.  
He's wrong.  
 _'In which case, you'd rather have nothing from the start'_.  
He's wrong!

 _'You don't need anything'_.

"That's not true!" His grip on his Evoker tightens until the metal presses into the slightly calloused skin of his hands, and he shoves the barrel to his head. He doesn't want to run away anymore. He can't run away anymore, not after the promises he's made. Not after the bonds that he's formed.

He's going to save everyone. They're going to live through this. "I'm not going to run away anymore!"

The trigger is pulled, and Thor forces it's way out, running forward towards the wall of lightning that came sparking down for his friends– no, his _ **family**_ – and blocks it without little trouble, holding Mjolnir tight as the rumbling electricity stores up in the mythical hammer. Swinging the hammer high above his head, the lightning redirects itself towards Jin and his own Persona, attacking the two with power thrice as strong as the attack he'd wanted to use on them.

That was what made Thor the best at counting electric-using Shadows. He upped the power of any electric moves that he used, so using him as a rod for the stuff and sending it back was practically what he was made for.

"It's all or nothing!" Aigis cries, and quickly summons her Persona once more. "Activating, Orgia Mode!"

Palladion speeds forward, it's spear piercing through the spinning top like manifestation, and without a missed beat, their rhythm perfectly in tune, Junpei uses this moment to send Trismegistos towards the two, his bladed wings like the sharpest knives as it sliced down the middle, destroying the blue haired man's Persona in a blaze of rage and glory.

"Damn it!" The man hisses, clutching his head with one hand.

Takaya forces himself to his feet, and grabs his team mate's shoulder. "This is enough for now, Jin."

"..." Clicking his tongue, the two begin to run. "Got it!"

SEES follows, but the second the pair enter Tartarus, Jin turns around and throws what appears to be another grenade. The group prepares themselves for the hit, but are surprised when only smoke comes exploding out. A diversion. They all stop their chase and instead collect themselves into a group.

Akihiko grumbles. "Damn it, we let them get away."

Junpei is the only one who doesn't listen. Despite the fact that, now that the battle was over, his body seemed to try collapsing from underneath him in exhaustion, he forced himself to follow the two men. In order to stop him, Yukari and Kotone quickly grab him by the arms and drag him back to the rest of them, his feet sliding against the ground as he fought against the two.

"Let go!" He yells, trying to shake the pair off. "I..!"

The boxer stomps forward, and his fist slams into the teen's jaw. "She entrusted you with this life! Don't waste it."

Finally, he stops fighting against everyone, his face falling and his eyes tearing up. Slowly, the two girls let go of him and step away, and he drags his feet over to the girl, who rests peacefully like a sleeping angel. He sits down beside her, and pulls her back into his arms.

"..Chidori.." His hands trace her cheeks. "Chidori, I.. I.. This is.. This is so hard.."

He swallows.

"But.. It's not just my life anymore.."

Yukari's eyebrows furrow in sorrow. "Junpei.."

They all stand there in the freshly quiet air, the cold stinging on damp cheeks and bloodied wounds exposed to the frosty winter air. After a little while, the baseball cap wearing teen finally stands up straight, and begins to walk home. They all follow. No one can find the right words to say to him as they return to the dorm in silence.

* * *

 _November 23rd, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Junpei hadn't left his room since they all returned last night. Kotone had left him some breakfast on the floor outside his door, having made Ken wrestle Koromaru away from the food so that way the dog didn't eat any of it, but she didn't actually get to see whether or not he'd ate any of it. After all, Yukari had practically dragged all the girls out for a 'date'. She went on and on as they walked to Paulownia Mall, excitedly chattering about how she really wanted all of them to have fun together. Perhaps this was just her way of distracting herself from how depressed their friend had been.

Well, this was probably the best use of their day off.

Giggling like a little girl, Yukari pulls a pale pink (and rather frilly) dress of the rack, and quickly runs over to their redheaded senior, who's face contorts in confusion as the brunette lifts the dress up to see how it would look on Mitsuru.

"Ah ha! I was totally right!" She proudly exclaims, winking at their senpai. "This one would totally look good on you!"

"D-Don't you think that one's a little.. too c-cute for me?"

"What are you talking about, Mitsuru-senpai? This style totally suits you! The sort of sweet mix between mature and childish!" Snapping out of her thoughts, Kotone takes a quick look at the dress. She was right, it did suit the girl. It's colour– such a pastel pink that it could almost be white, looked good against the older teen's fair skin and maroon hair. She wouldn't call it winter wear, but for something during spring or summer, she thinks it would look really good.

"She's right, Kirijo-senpai!" She smiles sweetly. "It does suit you!"

Looking down at the dress, Kirijo's face turned brighter than a tomato. "W-Well.."

Fuuka smiles. "Just try it on, senpai."

The redhead frowns a little, her cheeks still stained with the colour of wine, but she quickly snatches the dress away and walks over to the dressing room. The other girls all sit outside awaiting her, and Kotone briefly considers telling them the secret she's been holding for quite a bit of time now. After all, in around a week, it would be a month..

Her lips quiver slightly, and finally, the words leave her lips. "Um, you guys.. I-I have to tell you all something.."

The two turn their curious eyes onto her, and she can see Mitsuru stop shifting around in behind the curtain. Well, there's no turning back from it now– she's already firmly trapped herself in the quicksand here..

"Um..." With the expectant gazes watching her every move, she can't help but feel her skin prickle and her cheeks flare up in embarrassment. "I'm.. uh, I-I'm.. dating someone."

She's surprised as Kirijo returns to pulling on the dress she'd been told to try on, but the reactions she got from Yukari and Fuuka almost scared her. The brunette practically choked on air, and Fuuka gasped so loudly she thought that they might've alerted the store clerks into thinking there was some sort of crime going on.

"You're kidding!" She quickly shakes her head, and the pink clad girl stares at her with disbelief. "Who are you dating!?"

Mitsuru pulls the curtain back at the same time as Kotone begins to speak. "Akihiko, isn't it?"

"It's.. um.. S-Sanada-senpai.." The two speak at the same time, and her red eyes turn to her senior. "Y-You knew!?"

"He asked me what he should do, and I told him to talk to you about it." She chuckles. "I had a feeling it was something like this."

"Why didn't you tell us, Kotone!?" Takeba asks, her voice almost ridiculously loud. "I mean.. how long!?"

"Um.. nearly.. nearly a month..?" Her fingers fiddle with her skirt. "And um.. I was just.. really embarrassed.."

Yamagishi leans forward, her short curls bouncing with her movements. "I had this feeling you had a crush on someone, Kotone-chan, but for you to already be dating them.."

A giggle leaves the shorter girl's lips.

"Congratulations."

"Yeah, yeah! Congrats, Kotone!" Yukari grins brightly, and Kotone can't help but smile back. They'd reacted about the way she expected them too; she never thought that they would act disapproving or upset. She'd only not told them because she hadn't felt like it was the right time.

But after what happened.. with Chidori and Junpei.. she felt like she had to come clean. Like the two of them had confessed how much they cared and loved each other to everyone, she felt like she had to tell them everything. Besides, she got this feeling like if she didn't say anything, then they'd probably either be found out by process of analysing their behaviours, or because of Minato.

She laughs. "Never mind about me and Sanada-senpai.. but, seriously, Kirijo-senpai! That dress looks good on you!"

The senior drags herself out from behind the curtain, and all three of the junior girls gasp in surprise as they look at her. She really, really did look good in that dress! It's gentle colouring, and the way it went down to her knees.. It gave off the air of a sweet, but mature woman. Even the frills that accessorised the waist area and the hem of the skirt suited their senpai.

"You look _so_ good, Mitsuru-senpai!"

* * *

 _November 28th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The Career Experience week had ended about the same way as it began– boring, but overall as normal as their days normally went by. Thank goodness, nobody had noticed Junpei's absence thanks to it. Still, the week was pretty fascinating, in it's own way. Kotone had worked at a cafe, making cups of coffee and taking orders, an Minato had worked at Wild-Duck Burger, picking up trash and helping out behind the scenes.

..When they were really small, Minato had wanted to be like their mom. He wanted to be a doctor just like her, to help people heal and become better. At that age, he didn't quite understand what being a doctor entailed, but she remembered that their mother would always smile and tell him that he could do anything if he tried his hardest. And he always took her words to heart.

She wanted to help people, too. Not like being a doctor, but rather.. she wanted to help children who were just like them and the other members of SEES. Children with no families, or with families who didn't treat them right. She wanted to provide them with a small slice of comfort, someone who they could trust and relate to. With that thought it mind, she had begun to research jobs like youth counsellors and social workers.

She was going to try her best, too.

But for now, she was just a 'normal' high school girl.

Everyone sat at the dining room table, simple meals of curry and rice on plates in front of them. They were all sitting in mostly silence, eating the food that had been painstakingly made for them. Her own face fell slightly when she saw how depressed Junpei looked.

Placing his fork down, Akihiko speaks up. "Cheer up, Junpei.."

"..Yeah.." He looked away. "So, whaddya want?"

He must've been asking why they were all sitting out together in the dining room, again. They were all more likely to enjoy eating where ever they wanted to, doing their own things, but they'd all been called to enjoy the cooking together. Mitsuru pushed her chair back and stood up, wandering over to one of the drawers and gingerly takes something off the top of it. She wanders back over, and placed the surprisingly thick book down on the table in front of the goateed teen.

"This came for you." She explains as he looks at the book in disbelief. "It's from the hospital."

"Is this... Chidori's sketchbook?" He asks.

"They were going through her items when they found that."

"Oh.. um.." He takes the book slowly, his fingers tracing down the cover. "..I know I have to snap outta this, but it's just so hard.."

"Cheer up, Junpei.." Kotone murmurs.

He takes a deep, shaky breath. "Yeah.."

Yukari leans over the table with curiosity in her eyes, holding her hands out expectantly. "Hey, Junpei, can I take a look?"

"You wouldn't be able to understand her drawings anyways..." He hands it over.

Slowly, slowly does she open the sketchbook, flickering through the pages of red and black until her eyes rested on the very first of what was practically a thousand. Soft lines of pencil, curves and hesitation marks cover the pages. Her practice was evident, as she lays eyes on multiple versions of the very same drawing, and she continued to flip through the book until her eyes laid on what was the final drawing.

Her Mona Lisa, in a way.

"Wait, is this..?"

Fuuka leans over, her eyes filled with awe. "Wow, it's really good.."

"This is amazing.. Who wouldn't be able to understand it?"

Curiosity practically killing them, the twins pulled themselves up from their seats to look over the shoulders of their friend at the drawing. Kotone gasps, and her face forms a sweet smile at what she sees, and Minato can't help but nod his head.

"It's lovely." He murmurs.

Junpei tilts his head in confusion, and quickly stands up to take a look. His eyes fall on the drawing in the girl's hands, and he can feel the tears begin to well up. In nothing but lead pencil, a portrait was drawn of him. It portrayed him almost way too well, so much so that he couldn't believe what he was looking at. But despite that, looking at the incredibly well cared for and detailed portrait.. he knew it was of him. He could feel the feelings in the picture.

Yukari quickly flips the pages back. "The pages before this one are all devoted to you, Junpei.."

He raised a hand up to wipe away his tears slowly, yet a smile was forming on his face at the picture he was looking at. He took a little bit of time, and everyone let him cry out a little bit at the sudden realisation.

"Junpei.." Almost as if responding to Sanada's words, Koromaru whines.

He takes a deep breath. "It's like she's telling me to stop moping around.."

"She must be looking out for you.." Koromaru barks his agreement to Yamagishi's soft words.

"I.. I know things ended up like this, but there's one thing I can say.." His voice a little hoarse due to his sobs, yet it was filled with a determination that was so different to how it was earlier in the year. "I'm glad I met Chidori.. And I'm glad.. I fell in love with her. That's why.."

Junpei turns towards Minato, eyes burning with a newfound strength.

"Minato.. I promise to fight to get rid of the Dark Hour. I'm usually just lookin' out for number one. So it's been hard for me to accept that you're our leader, but.. I'm sorry." He bows down deeply. "I want you to know.. I got nothin' but faith in your skills."

A smile forms on the blue haired teen's face. "I'm counting on you too."

"I'm glad to hear it." The baseball capped teen chuckles. "Let's keep on rocking together... Leader."

The two shake hands, and everyone is smiling with tears in their eyes. Their bond would never break under any circumstances, not with their leader's new resolution behind them. They all return to their seats, and their leader picks up his fork with a surprisingly kind smile on his face.

"Let's eat, everyone." He laughs. "Kotone worked hard, after all."

* * *

can y'all believe i spent three chapters on the chidori thing?  
bc she deserved it.. i love my girl!

anyway i love u junpei my sweet sweet boy

grim- ah ur right! i guess that makes it a RACE!  
winner gets bragging rights and major depression lol

well, i hope y'all enjoyed this chapter!  
see y'all next one!


	54. death (chapter 53)

bitches and whores

* * *

 _November 29th, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

It was an afterthought from destroying a Shadow.

As his sword sunk into the pit of one dressed like a samurai, the realisation struck him like a powerful bolt of lightning. It almost made him sick to think he'd even forgotten, and there was a tiny voice in the back of his mind that was telling him that it ' _couldn't be helped_ '. It almost resembled his sister's voice, with her distinct lilt and gentleness being defining characteristics of what he presumes is just his consciousness. All he can think is that it makes sense. It's exactly what she would say to him, complete with soft eyes and a warm hug. She'd say, ' _you're so busy, after all_ '.

He doesn't think that's an excuse for forgetting the closely approaching tenth anniversary of the accident.

This block of Tartarus has made him acutely aware of everything going on around him, and perhaps that was why he was able to remember it so suddenly. He had the almost annoyingly vibrant colours that danced light into the normally dark tower, neon green and rainbow LED's pulsating with every move his body made. If he had anything to compare it to, it would be Club Escapade, the sheer atmosphere reminding him of Port Island's party central.

Maybe that, combined with his newfound realisation, was why he felt so violently ill just walking around. Even more than normal, considering he was pretty well adjusted to the pains that traversing Tartarus had bought upon them all. Sure, he was always tired by the time they left, but that fatigue chose to leave him alone until they left the never ending tower. And yet, everything around him made his head pound, so much that all he wanted to do was call the group back and return to the dorm, where he'd be allowed to feel the sweet arms of sleep.

Alas, today they needed to get higher up in the torturous tower. Not only was there three people missing, but the next full moon was quickly approaching, and nobody had any idea as to what would happen on that night. Perhaps he was being paranoid, but he'd like to have something of an upper foot on whatever they might face, just in case they do face something. He needs to be prepared for every possibility, and that was all there was to it.

He welcomes the all too ethereal voice of Yamagishi when it fills his head. _"Arisato-kun, Kirijo-senpai and Junpei-kun found one of the missing people!"_

"Thank god," He sighs with relief, perhaps a little to heavily as he hears the girl giggle on the other end. "Tell them to return to the entrance with the person they found, and tell them to provide first aid."

 _"Okay, Leader! Only two more to go!"_

"We're relying on you, Yamagishi."

He hears her hum in confirmation, and the connection quickly buzzes out. Confirming his surrounding for no enemies, he quickly begins to make his way to the stairwell, where he has little doubt to whether or not his friends have also made their ways to the next floor. He needs to thank Elizabeth for informing him of the approximate floors that the missing were on, though knowing her, he has this feeling like she's purposely not giving him exact numbers.

A sigh.. He needs to start thinking about what flowers his parents would like this year.

* * *

 _November 30th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

As he enters the living room of the dorm, he's surprised to see Ryoji snug like a bug amongst all his friends. He enters the room slowly, curiosity in his eyes as to how Junpei and Ryoji managed to convince Mitsuru to let the latter in to the dorm. Well, he wasn't complaining, honestly. Ryoji wasn't a bad guy– though he was a serious pest and definitely had something to do with the hot spring incident. And he made Junpei a lot happier, considering how close the pair were. That was enough for him to be okay with the new visitor.

"Oh, welcome back, Arisato-kun." Fuuka waves him down, and he turns his gaze to her. "You're late. Ryoji-kun was just leaving."

Ryoji's eyes practically light up at the sight of him. "Minato! Hey, been studying?"

He raises his eyebrows, wondering if that was a genuine question. The taller teen chuckles a little, and waves his hands in dismissal.

"You know, I'm here a lot, but I never run into you. Strange, huh?" The blue haired teen nods slowly in agreement, and he's given a sorry look from his taller friend. "I'm sorry, but I gotta get going.. I'll come see you again."

Junpei shoves himself off the couch and waves goodbye. "See you later, Ryoji!"

Aigis wanders down the hallway, her eyes watching the leaving man until the door closed behind him. Her lips purse tight in question as she turns her curiosity to the other juniors relaxing in the living room.

"...Was that Ryoji-san?" She asks.

"Yeah, he said he was going home." Yukari explains.

"What was he doing here?"

The brunette places a finger on her chin in thought. "He's been coming here a lot, ever since he started hanging around with Junpei."

"But, visitors aren't allowed here."

"Yeah, but Kirijo-senpai said it's okay during the day." The goateed teenager shrugs simply, and Aigis frowns.

Yamagishi can't help but giggle a little. "I don't think we need to worry about Ryoji-kun."

Despite the words that everyone speaks, Aigis's eyes only narrow tight together, her hands clutching into tight fists. Her body shakes a little, almost as if she were angry or fearful, and Minato can't help but worry. She'd been so vocal about how much she disliked the dark haired teen's presence, but he had no idea her dislike was growing this bad.

"He's... dangerous."

"Who? Ryoji-kun?"

Yukari rolls her eyes and groans. "Come to think of it, he **was** hitting on Mitsuru-senpai the first time he met her."

"..But, having him around's really cheered up Junpei-kun." The green haired girl points out, and the other girl huffs her shoulders.

Iori rolls his sleeves up a little bit, and begins to wander up the stairs. "Well, it's not like moping around's gonna bring her back.."

"That's true.." The mechanical girl's voice wanders a little as she speaks, and it causes the taller man to stop in his tracks half way up the staircase in concern over her.

"Hm..? What's the matter, Ai-chan?"

"..I envy you, Junpei.." She looks down. "I am a machine, so I cannot understand how it feels to ' _live_ '."

His lips purse tight together. "..But, you don't seem that different."

"However, it is more accurate to say I am ' _functioning_ ' as opposed to living. There are times when I malfunction, but I can always be repaired.."

"So if we were all like you.. we wouldn't have to worry about dying.." A silence fills the air at his words, everyone's minds drifting to the events that could have been prevented if they were all the same as Aigis was. The teen who spoke quickly takes notice of the increasingly awkward atmosphere, and he puts a hand on the back of his neck. "..Uh, sorry.. Hey, I don't have time to talk. I seriously gotta go study.. Shouldn't you guys be studying too? I heard math's gonna be a killer."

Yukari chokes on her water. "You wait until **now** to tell us that!? Well, I guess we should call it a night.."

Everyone quickly head back to their rooms, and he is left in the dormitory's living room with Aigis, who continues to ponder quietly to herself. Her words are worrying, so similar to the ones he thought earlier in the year. The wish of death– no, more accurately in the blonde's case, it was the believe she didn't deserve the life she had been given. She was still a living thing, even if she wasn't made of flesh and blood.

He promises he'll never die on her when she asks, and she apologises for taking up his time.

..He hopes Aigis doesn't sink into the same spiral he keeps falling into.

* * *

 _December 2nd, 2009._  
 _After School._

Her hands trace the petals of a pure white bouquet in her arms, being shielded from the noise and bustle of daily life around them on the train by her senpai, Akihiko. She'd asked him to come along with her, and she knew for a fact he already knew what was going on with today. It was one of the reasons why she was grateful that the Kirijo Group held so much power– they knew everything about the members of SEES that dossiers would allow them to know. He agreed to come along without even arguing, although she needed to force him to not pay for the bundle of flowers in her arms.

The chattering of students all around her is like white noise to her ears as she begins to speak, words slow and soft, only for one person's ears. "Minato and I are gonna go together on the anniversary of the funeral,"

She explains, and he hums in acknowledgement. She can feel grey eyes on her face, and she starts once more.

"We'll be doing another vigil, like we did back then. So, that was why.. today, I wanted you to come with me." Without much thought, she shrugs her arm to make her bag return to it's rightful place on her shoulder, not wanting any harm to come to the large bouquet she held in her arms. She smiles softly up at him, rose eyes gentle as she looks up at his face. "Thank you for coming along with me.. It makes me really happy."

"You don't need to thank me.. You know I would have come along with you." Sanada states, and she giggles slightly, her gratefulness shining through her bell like laugh. She nods her head in acknowledgement, after all, she put all her trust and faith into him.

"Still, thank you." Kotone quickly begins to point to some of the flowers that adorn her set. "This one here is a Queen Anne's Lace. The lady at the store told me it meant a haven, or sanctuary. And this one here is a peony, it means bashfulness."

She pauses over the most noticeable of the bunch, a group of flowers all bunched together.

"This one's a hydrangea. They mean heartfelt emotions. _Mama_ – um.. My mother, she really liked these ones. She liked them so much that my dad, he planted a bunch of them in our front garden, by our fence. He took heaps of care for them, because he knew that she loved them." Her eyes close, nostalgia evident on her face. "During summer, when they all were in full bloom, she would sit on our front porch with a book and a cup of tea, while dad watered the plants and we played."

She laughs.

"He really loved gardening. He was a calm, friendly man, at least that was what I remember him as. He was awful at cooking though. Everything he made looked like burnt crisps, even if he followed the recipe to a T. He was worse than Fuuka-chan!" The train zooms over the waters, and she watches the sun bounce off the ocean waves. "My mother was really strong-willed and determined. She was so set on helping people, that I think she probably stressed our dad out more than anything we ever did. Grandma used to say that she would carry the world on her shoulders if she were able to."

They're nearing their stop, and for once, she almost doesn't want the train ride to end. "She sounds a lot like you."

"Y-You think so? Gosh, that's a really big compliment.. It's my dream to be something like how amazing my mother was."

"In my eyes, you're already there." His cheeks flare up bright red, and she snickers a little. Once he understood how he felt, he was a little more audible, and a little more playful towards her, only when they were alone. But she loved the praises he gave her, because she knew that he wasn't going to say something for the sake of making her happy. He didn't mince words, when he complimented, he meant it. When he gave criticism, he meant it.

She really did love that. It was a silly thing to love, but she loved it nonetheless.

Auburn curls bounce back and forth as she shakes her head. "I still have a long way to go.. so just keep watching me, okay?"

"Of course."

* * *

They reach the cemetery not too long after hopping off the train, and she leads him through the city of headstones to the one that belonged to her family. They stop in front of it, the kanji for her family name carved into the stone in front of them, a framed wedding photo sat on top of a small monument in front. Beside that, was a vase, old dead flowers and water sitting inside. Without a doubt, this was from when her brother came to visit in November.

Handing over the bouquet to her senior, she kneels down quietly, pulling the wilted flora out of the vase and tipping it over, letting the water out as she placed the dead petals on the dirt, allowing it to return to nature where it had once came from. Pulling a bottle of water out of her bag, she quickly refills the vase and gestures for him to give her the flowers, which she quickly places inside of their new home.

He kneels beside her. "Those are you parents, huh?"

"Yeah." She points to her father's face, where his dark hair and blue eyes stood out despite the age of the photograph. "That's my dad, Juntarou."

Her fingers move over to her mother next, whose facial features greatly resembled that of the twins, with her large red eyes surrounded by fluttering lashes and soft looking hair.

"That's my mom, Akari. Her name is said like ' _light_ ', but is written with the kanji for ' _star_ '. I always thought she had the prettiest name.." A soft sigh leaves her lips, and she places her head on the crook of his shoulder. "You know, Senpai? I wanted to introduce you to them.. I think.. I think they would've liked you."

Relief fills his eyes, and she giggles a little. "I'm really glad you think so. I was a little worried, to be honest."

He laughs along side her own chuckles, and he quickly moves to stand back up, which she follows along with a mild amount of curiosity filling her. He bows low, a polite greeting she really wasn't expecting from her blunt and brutally honest Sanada-senpai.

"It's nice to meet you both," He begins, and she realises he's addressing her parents. "I'm Sanada Akihiko. I've been in your daughter's care for the past year."

His cheeks flush bright red, and his mind searches for the right words to say. This wasn't his strong suit, socialising and speaking what was truly on his mind. He was painfully shy, and awfully bad at distinguishing his own emotions, a side effect of fighting his past for so many years and remaining trapped by it. Yet slowly, slowly, she's watching him take steps towards a bright and proper future.

She'll keep helping him along the way, just like he was helping her.

"I, um.. I don't think I would be the same person I am right now without her help. She's helped me through a lot of dark times, and I'm truly grateful." Gloved hands clench tight together, the slight squeeze of leather together reaching her ears as the silence continues, her boyfriend trying his hardest to find the right words to say. He's trying his hardest, and she can't help but feel her heart soar at that. "She helped me discover a new resolution, and I'm grateful that, for the short time you were able to, you raised such an incredible daughter."

Blushing up to his ears, he bows his head once more.

"I wish I could've met you face to face, but.. I'm glad you're all watching out for both of your children from above."

Kotone wraps her arms tight around his own, and leaned against him, her eyes a little teary but she refuses to let any tears fall. They aren't sad tears, they're tears that are a mix of happiness, and a longing to see her parents once more. She knows she'll see them one day, and the words that he spoke were exactly what she wanted to believe. They were watching from heaven, like she believed when she was a child.

She likes to think that everyone they'd lost was watching them from heaven, cheering them on and providing the support they all needed to continue fighting onward with the strength that they all had. Miki.. Aragaki-senpai.. Kirijo-senpai's father.. Yukari-chan's father.. and her own parents. They were all watching.

Pink lips part slightly in a soft sigh, and the pair stand in silence, letting their quiet thoughts fill the silence instead, soft whispers for only the two and the people they had come to meet to hear. Once the sun begins to set on the horizon, the two begin to walk home, and she makes a decision to try moving on from the accident. It's been ten years.. there was no point crying anymore, because tears wont bring anyone back.

She would fight to protect her loved ones, the ones that were still living and breathing by her sides.

* * *

 _December 2nd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Moonlight Bridge is lit up by it's namesake, casting large shadows onto the concrete below that haunt and contort with an eerie movement. A figure stands on the bridge, ringed blue eyes watching the sky with a certain amount of sorrow–– pale skin being lit up like frozen snow as he bathes in the cast of the lunar object. He feels drawn to this location, where burnt concrete and skid marks make their territory. He feels comfortable underneath the otherwise terrifying green air and light, the pressure of the night like a mother's touch, or a warm blanket.

He turns as clicking of metal fills the air, each step telling him of another approaching human.

He meets eyes a similar shade as his own, though instead of seeing the school uniform he was used to seeing on the newcomer, he sees a body made of pure steel, joints that whizzed and whirred as she moved closer and closer.

"I have been looking for you." She begins, her voice carrying in the cold air. "..What are you doing here?"

He parts his lips slowly, and answers.

"Well, to answer your question, I ended up here when I came to my senses." His movement begins once more, as he paces around the bridge; looking in the windows of cars and tracing red liquid that covered the ground with his eyes. "It's strange.. The sky and the ground look so weird, and there's no one else here.. Something terrible has happened here, and yet.. I feel at _**peace**_."

Her eyes narrow. "Have you forgotten?"

"Forgotten what?"

"The Dark Hour–– a time period few people are active during." One of her metallic feet slides back into a stance. "Despite that, you have somehow adapted to it.. Too well for a human, in fact."

Her hands raise, and he watches at they whirl around and begin to fire up, he watches as she prepares the bullets that resound in his mind.  
...Why do they resound in his mind?  
Why does he feel like they've been here once before?

"Yes.. It's all so clear." She aims. "Now I understand the reason behind this feeling I sense when you are around. You are not good. You are.. my enemy."

He doesn't understand what she means.

"Your enemy..?" He groans loudly and clutches his head the moment those words leave his lips; the pain filling his mind with things that he didn't think he'd ever remember. That night, ten years ago today.. The car that he crashed into evading her attacks.. Oh, he understands now. He wishes he didn't understand, but he does. "Enemy.. That's right.. On this night, ten years ago.."

"Yes.. We met once before.." She never fires, but she doesn't move out of her fighting position. "..as adversaries."

His body shakes, quivers a little as he remembers more and more about that night. He didn't have the body he has now, for some reason, he remembers his body being like a floating mass of darkness. On that night, he had enough power to crush the front portion of a car with his body. They were.. driving towards him when this hour began, and he caused a crash. Two small figures were sent flying out of the car, the two large ones were crushed by his mass. Her bullets made fire, destroying and alighting the gas tank that belonged to that family's car.

"..Who.. Who am I?" He bites his lip. "Who are you..?"

"I am Aigis. The last remaining Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapon." She introduces, and those words spark something inside of him. "A machine created to destroy Shadows. And you... Your true name is 'Death'.. You are the Shadow I sealed away ten years ago!"

He clutches his head tight, collapsing to his knees as everything pieces itself together, no longer a bundle of messed up memories. He's able to recall it all too well now, the winter air, the explosion his birth caused.. the death and destruction he left in his wake.. On that night, he took his first step onto this bridge.

"The sole purpose of my existence is to destroy Shadows. It is for that reason that I was given a personality and a Persona.."

His mind is filled with the way his body originally looked, not this fake imitation of the boy he was sealed away in. This voice, the body's appearance that he used.. He based them all off of that little boy on the bridge. The little boy who guarded a thin silver of red in his arms, despite the injuries that covered his own self.

His voice becomes a weak shiver.

"I.. am the Thirteenth Arcana.. I was never meant to be.." He knows now. "Everyone called me 'Death'. But when I was born, a part of my power shattered and was strewn about.. As a result, I was incomplete.."

"Even so, you were far stronger than I had anticipated." Her own mind raced with the memories of that night, of the terrified eyes that watched her as she placed the deadliest Shadow inside the body of a small boy. "Since I could not defeat you, my only option was to seal you away.. Under the circumstances, there was only one suitable vessel––"

She tries to fight that look that the boy she tried caring for so much over the year gave her on that night. Terror, fear, and yet there was a slither of anger in his eyes as well. She had believed that the girl in his arms was dead on that night. He was the only suitable vessel.

"A human boy who happened to be nearby. I had no other choice.."

"..Minato.." He exhales slowly, trying to calm the way his everything was a nervous wreck. "I see.. I was inside him all this time. And I.. I unwittingly led him to my twelve missing pieces.. I see. I understand now.. I remember everything.. Who I am.. What I am.."

"A machine is created for a purpose." Aigis hisses, and her guns finally fire up. "Mine is to defeat you.. That is the purpose of my existence!"

Ryoji––no, rather, he was Death now, steps forward. "It doesn't have to be that way.. Aigis.."

She sped backwards, away from him, and her body contorted backwards, surrounded by an ethereal blue light. The light shattered like glass, and out came a navy blue figure, like a robot of it's own.

"Palladion!"

* * *

fluff?  
whos that idk her  
welcome to december where everything is dark and depressing

grim- ah shit! it is too.. i was going off of the katakana so i instinctively went for the 'o' instead of the 'u' sound, we lp  
also,, u will probably win. have fun with that depression  
writingsoul- ASDFGHJKL every time you say that i get rlly embarrassed,,  
its a huge compliment in my eyes so;;  
god i love yukamitsu

ANYWAY i love pain and misery!  
i hope y'all liked this chapter  
i'll see y'all next one!


	55. fear (chapter 54)

quick warning: this chapters a little shorter than normal;;  
more on why at the end

* * *

 _December 2nd, 2009._  
 _Dark Hour._

Palladion speeds forward, and almost on instinct, Ryoji's arm shifts and curves, it's form changing from that of a human male to an Eldritch Monster's, moving at speeds beyond the sound barrier to block the robotic girl's attack. They clash together with a powerful clang, one eerily resembling that of what happened on this exact day ten years ago, and sparks fly.

"..Don't be foolish, Aigis." He murmurs, his arm– the non-human one, clutching tighter and tighter into the girl's Persona. "I'm different than before. There's no way you can win.. I'm sorry.."

She fires bullets in response, jumping and dodging potential attack paths as her bullets rain down on Death itself. As her feet slide back onto the concrete, the ground begins to glow an off white, though instead of the gentle and even holy feelings people might get from this shimmering light, all Aigis can feel is that it's dangerous. She's right, as everything begins to collect around her, and the colours begin to become an ominous black and purple. They explode all around her, sending her flying backwards without any of her attacks landing on her adversary.

Her body slams to the ground with such force that it creates a large crater in the bridge's road, and sparks begin to alight from her body. She doesn't need to see her body to know what's going on–– severe damage to her chassis. Her joints make crackling and whirring noises as she attempts to pull herself up, but she only crumples back up onto the ground.

She can't see. "..I'm.. sorry.. This mission.. appears impossible.."

Each part of her metallic body clatters as she resolves to giving up, her mind only on the fact that she'll never be able to win this battle. She knows what she is now, and it's something that she's been thinking for a long time. What she is, she's nothing but a machine that cannot fulfil it's purpose. That fact means that she has no worth. What use is a weapon that cannot do it's job? What use is a weapon that cannot fight the battles it was made for?

"..I'm.. sorry, everyone.." The emotions that overflow in her pretend heart are overwhelming. Each one is something she's never felt before in her entire life; thanks to it's relative shortness and her status as nothing but a living weapon. "Minato-san.."

She thinks back to that little boy– to the man he's grown up into. She thinks about what will happen to him now that she's out of commission, unable to function properly as what she is. She thinks to what will happen to the rest of her group, her mind only able to create images of the worst possible outcome.

"..I'm scared.."

* * *

Aigis hadn't returned home that evening. She never used to return back so late in the past, but recently, she wouldn't come back until the sun had well descended in the winter night sky, and she would always look lost–– confused, yet deep in thought. They had all expected it to be the same today, yet the Dark Hour had fallen upon them all, and she was yet to be seen.

Considering it was a full moon, everyone was worried.

Yamagishi stands by the window inside the dormitory's command room, her body guarded by the protective bubble of Juno. Compared to most of their other missions, not only does their usual support member do her job, but Kirijo works on the equipment nearby to help out. Tonight was serious, no matter what anyone else thought.

"Juno!?" Yukari cries as she enters the room, still clad in her pyjamas. "Wait, did something happen!?"

Her brown eyes trail from the two busy working girls, to her leader and his sister, as well as Sanada, all sitting in patient silence, eyebrows furrowed in worry. Her worried gaze moves from them back to her redheaded senior, worry filling her up to the brim.

"Yukari, is something wrong?" Mitsuru asks, leaning away from the equipment she was manning to ask the question in an almost uncharacteristically gentle tone.

"Well, it's a full moon tonight.." She murmured, her arms tightly crossing over her chest as she brings up why she'd come up to the command room in the first place. "You noticed it too, didn't you, Senpai? Geez, I'm starting to feel like a workaholic!"

Mitsuru sighs.

"Oh no.. did something..?"

"We don't know anything for sure.." The senior turns back to the numerous electronic devices at her disposal. "However, we can't find Aigis."

"Huh? Where would she have gone?"

Her body twitches slightly, and there's the gentle sway of watery music that fills the air, causing everyone to turn towards the only possible candidate for making it, who's teal hair swishes as her power swirls in a control around her.

Soft lips part. _"I sensed a Persona, but it quickly disappeared. And soon after that, I couldn't detect Aigis' presence."_

Hands shaking tight together, Takeba's eyebrows knit together as she comes to the only possible conclusion. "Could it have been Strega..?"

"Well, she hasn't sensed any of their members, but we can't be positive."

 _"..I've confirmed Aigis' location.."_ Fuuka cuts in, her words like a brief beacon of light to the overly concerned SEES. _"She's on the Moonlight Bridge!"_

The twins freeze up in a mixture of fear and disbelief, the idea of returning to that bridge on tonight of all nights a terror-bringing prospect. Everything that tonight was wasn't a good thing for either of them, the full moon ominously looming overhead, and the anniversary of a day that changed their lives forever. Neither one looked excited or willing to get up and join them, but they forced themselves to stand and get ready to see what was going on.

They weren't going to let this control them anymore.  
They were going to dictate their own paths from now on, instead of letting a single night control their lives.  
This was just the first step.

"Alright," Commanding air only strengthening, Kirijo turns to Yukari. "Call the others. Let's see what's going on there."

* * *

SEES rushes to Moonlight Bridge as fast as they can, their worry driving them to run as fast as they can. The bridge gets closer and closer in the green horizon, and they'd probably feel more secure if they could see signs of a battle raging on. At least then, they'd know that Aigis was alright. But right now, with the silence deafening the air, all they were able to come up with was that there was positively nothing. And that was the worst thing that there could be.

They climb the asphalt roads with mixed steps, coming to a stop at a positively horrifying sight.

The main portion of Aigis' body lies on the ground, the damage done beyond critical, and the rest of her was strewn about everywhere. Her one of her joints, where her arm was supposed to be, sparked and jolted dangerously, but there was no other sign that she was still functioning like normal.

Koromaru barks threateningly as he's the first to approach, his small paws sliding to a stop by the robot's destroyed body. As the sight reaches the eyes of those lagging behind, everyone screams out her name in desperation, begging for a response.

To their surprise, they receive one. "..I'm.. sorry.. I.. I.. remember everything.."

She attempts to move her head, and quickly do the girls meet her body in order to support her.

"..Who I am.. Who 'he' is.." Her only attached arm, worn to shreds and barely able to move, reaches desperately for Minato. He takes it in his own hand, grasping it tightly, but with a certain gentleness. "..Minato-san.. I know why I wanted to be by your side.. I'm.. sorry... I failed.."

"Save your energy.." He murmurs, clutching her hand with both his own, engulfing her destroyed hand in his own.

"I'm.. sorry.." Her voice is a distorted whisper, her systems threatening to shut down with each tick of the seconds on a clock.

"There's no need for you to apologise.."

A familiar voice resounds in the air, thin and friendly, yet with a certain sadness and even a bit of pride, the sort that comes from looking down on someone. Yes, it was familiar to the point of being scary, and they all knew only two people with such a voice. One stood next to them, blue eyes watching Aigis with nothing else but concern, and the other.. stepped closer and closer towards them, his brightly coloured scarf like a sign.

Junpei clenches his teeth. "You!?"

Ryoji digs his face into his scarf as the accusatory tone is directed towards him, and as each person resounds their surprise, his eyes only lower, gaze never meeting anyone else's. As they all scream questions at him, voices mixing together to make distinguishing exact questions impossible. During that small moment of time, Aigis begins to cease functioning, her movements stopping and her eyes flashing off.

Sanada is the first person to step forward, grey eyes narrowed dangerously at the newcomer. "What's going on..?"

"..It's all my fault.." The dark haired 'boy' whispers, his hands clutching his upper arms tight.

"Wha.."Disbelief fills the senior's voice, and he steps forward once more, raising one of his fists in preparation to fight. "You did this!?"

Raising a hand to stop him, Kirijo steps forward. "Akihiko, wait. He's not showing any signs of aggression."

At first, the white haired man doesn't step back from his fighting position, yet soon, he returns to a slightly less on guard posture, though it was clear he was still completely ready to bounce into a fight if, and when, he needed to. He takes calculated moves back into the group, his path one that gave him a way to return to that southpaw stance if he needed to.

He doesn't get the chance to, as Mitsuru turns her powerful gaze onto Ryoji. "Tell us.. Who are you? .. _ **What**_ are you?"

Never making an attempt for eye contact, Mochizuki's voice cracks a little as he begins to tell them the truth, and nothing but that. His voice is soft and weak, little more than a depressed whisper as the words leave his parted lips. "..I'm the same as the beings you call Shadows."

Disbelief fills the air as Iori screams out, "You're a Shadow!?"

"I'm the embodiment of all Shadows.. _**The Appriser**_ , born from the union of the Twelve Arcana." He explains, though everyone was still trying to wrap their head's around the fact that he's apparently one of the Shadows, their enemies.

"I remember everything now.. The frightening truth about myself.. and Shadows.. It's all so hard to believe."

Baffled beyond belief, Mitsuru speaks slowly, trying to let the words sink into her own mind, proper. Everything sounded so impossible, the facts and truth being provided to them right here, right now were simply just so impossible to believe. "..You know the 'truth' about Shadows?"

"I do.."

"What!?" Neither of the seniors could believe it. They had spent so long trying to figure it all out, and now it was all coming to place, but with a horrible feeling descending down upon them all.

"The Shadows are here to facilitate the rebirth of the maternal being. The maternal being will begin to awaken as she is drawn to me.. The Appriser."

"You? You're.. this 'Appriser'?"

The black haired Shadow nods his head. "That's right.."

"What is this 'maternal being'..?" Fuuka asks, her steps closer to the boy careful.

"She is a great entity.. There is no comparable word in your language for her. Ten years ago, a man collected a great number of Shadows and contained them in a laboratory.. That's where I was born." As the things he said form into realisations in everyone's individual consciousness', they begin to feel the pieces place themselves. Every single one of those accidents' that occurred ten years ago were all connected. "..But the unification was interrupted, and I awoke in an incomplete state. Not long after, I fell to Aigis.. as she did to me."

"Aigis..!?" The tallest of the juniors steps forward towards his friend, his dark eyes wide as he questions everything that has occurred over the past month. The closeness of their friendship, and everything that happened to them. "Is that true!? ..Ryoji!?"

"She knew she could not defeat me.. So in an act of desperation, she sealed me within a child who happened to be standing nearby. That child grew up, carrying me inside him. And by a twist of fate, he later returned here.. as a _**transfer student**_."

"You mean.."

Everyone's eyes turn onto Minato, who stands there listening to everything, unable to believe it all. The shocked gazes he felt, coming from not only his own friends, but his sister, all felt like daggers in his body. He stares at his hands, and that's when he figures it out. Why he wanted to return to Iwatodai after so many years, why he felt so comfortable in the Dark Hour despite being a small child who had lost his parents. Why that monster came out of Orpheus during the very first summoning, and why he never appeared again.

It all makes sense, yet now he feels less human than ever.

His blue eyes meet Ryoji's own. "Yes.. 'Minato'. I lived inside him."

"..Inside him..?" Yukari murmurs, repeating words to let them sink into her own mind. Maybe, just maybe, if she said them herself, they would sound more possible in her mind. Yet, despite that mindset, nothing felt real anymore. No, the only thing that made them know they were living in the real world was the overwhelming pressure of the Dark Hour crushing their spirits, both mental and physical.

This knowledge, combined with the Dark Hour, was a disgusting blow on their morale. Everything seemed to circle back to a single man, who played them all like an orchestra's conductor. Ikutsuki. If it were possible, were the mad ramblings he spewed on that night some part of the truth? Minato had blanked a lot of them out, that night was like something out of a horror movie for him, from the crucifixion to the cold blooded murder of Kirijo's father. And yet, the pieces all fit together like a neat little jigsaw puzzle.

The Shadow standing before them begins to speak once more, and it snaps the blue haired teen out of his wandering thoughts, thoughts that would destroy him if he continued to dig deeper into them. He needed to stop thinking.. and just listen to the awful truth.

"His special Persona awakened.. as did the Twelve Shadows, all in order to become one with me."

"Ryoji's the Appriser? A-And he was inside of his body..!?" Clicking his tongue tight to the roof of his mouth, Junpei's eyes narrow dangerously, speaking the words on everyone's mind. "None of this makes sense!"

"It's all my fault.. I'm sorry." The boy apologises over and over again, tears welling up in his ocean coloured eyes. "There's more I need.. to tell you.."

His voice lingers on the final vowel, until finally, his body tilts over and collapses into a heap on the ground in front of them. A quick observation shows dark circles underneath the boy's eyes, a clear sign of exhaustion. The decision as to what to do with them weighs heavy on their shoulders, but soon, they all decide to let him rest. They have to attend to Aigis as well, after all.

He doesn't want to believe anything he's heard here, but he has to.

It's the truth.  
It's the ugly, ugly truth.

Collecting their thoughts– and bits and pieces of Aigis' utterly destroyed metal body, they make quick haste of deciding how to return to the dorm with two unconscious people; ultimately deciding to have Akihiko handle the one made of metal, and for Junpei and the rest to handle Ryoji. It was a shaky, shaky progress, no thanks to the shock that they were all going through. As they walk through the empty streets, he tries to piece everything together so it makes sense in his head.

Ryoji was inside of him for all those years.  
Ryoji appeared when Pharos disappeared.  
Ergo, the two were the one and the same.

No wonder he felt comfortable around Ryoji.  
No wonder he and Ryoji shared a certain similarity, from their appearance down to their voices.  
He hadn't thought about it too hard before, on purpose, for the sake of casting it off as a mere coincidence, but it was almost like he and Ryoji were more twin-like than he and Kotone were. But that was only because they had shared a body in the past. Perhaps one of their group would question the truth of the words, but without a single doubt in his mind, he knew it was all only what was truthful.

Yes, this new truth bought him brief relief in the form of answers, despite how much he despised the knowledge he discovered.  
He really really felt sick thanks to this reveal, and for the first time in well over a week; what had to be a record for him, he felt like dying.

The world only gives him more reasons to hate the winter season.

* * *

I DONT HAVE ANYTHING SMART TO SAY OTHER THAN SORRY ITS SHORT!  
i wanted to wrap up december 2nd in two clean chapters and leave the next day for the next chapter  
also because i felt like if i wrote any more than this i'd want to die  
also, winter makes my hands freeze up which is why i try to write during the day but its rlly cold where i live atm so,,

anhway!

grim- bruh tho u got me on the edge of my seat wanting to know more  
enjoy ur portion of my crippling depression lmao.  
writingsoul- I KNOW,, the closer i get to the end the more i want to stop writing lol,,  
i dont want it to end either, i really do love writing this fic!  
tho, i guess if it makes u feel any better,  
i was thinkin about writing either a couple of one-shots or another fic to accompany this one?  
i havent got it all down yet since.. i havent finished this yet but it's been rattling in my brain for a while now

ANYWAY

i hope y'all enjoyed despite how short it got!  
i'll see y'all next chapter!


	56. shell-shocked (chapter 55)

RHYAA to compensate for last chapter i wrote twice as much!

* * *

 _December 3rd, 2009._  
 _After School._

His mind wavered away from the lessons all day, though, almost uncharacteristically, he never fell asleep once. Perhaps that was why the teachers would periodically glare at him in the middle of their classes, telling him with their eyes to ' _just fall asleep_ ' since he wasn't paying attention to a word they spoke. He couldn't stop thinking about it, the shocked looks each one of his friends gave him the night before, to the ugly truths that Ryoji had spilled from his lips.

The school day had ended without a signal thought from him, and his mind only returned to the reality he wished to escape when he heard the all too familiar click of heels approaching him. He raises his head– meeting maroon with blue, and he slid up from where he had been half-lying on his arm in order to give all his attention to the newcomer; Kirijo.

"..He's awake now." His breath hitches when she says that. "Let's meet tonight on the fourth floor."

Junpei stops packing away his books, no doubt covered in odd scribbles, and nods his head. "..Okay."

"Alright, then. I'll see you later." She doesn't spend another second inside the second-year's classroom, turning on the ball of her feet and exiting the room with her presence being watched right until curls of wine couldn't be seen anymore by curious eyes.

He quickly began to shove his things haphazardly into his bag, uncaring of the absolute state of disarray his bag was currently displaying. If anything, it was almost poetic, resembling him as a person. An utter mess, through and through.

"Damn that Ryoji.."

The words are barely more than a whisper, uttered with not a feeling of hatred, but rather one of disbelief. Yukari sighs out softly, and Minato can only breathe out through his nose at what the taller teenager had spoken. The three shove their bags over their shoulders without anymore spoken formalities between them, only the unsure air that carried all day, as they began to make their way to the next second-year classroom, in order to pick up the other two members of their year group.

He's not sure what to do.  
How's he supposed to react anymore?

Is he supposed to be angry? Angry at Aigis for sealing the most dangerous Shadow they've ever known inside of him at the age of six? Angry at Ryoji for existing as this 'Appriser'? Angry at him for not telling them a single thing? For not telling him?

He's just not sure anymore.

* * *

 _December 3rd, 2009._  
 _Evening._

On the furthest sofa from the rest of the group sat Ryoji, his head hanging low and his eyes shadowed over; whether out of sorrow or something else, he's not exactly sure. Mitsuru's analytical gaze scans the entire room, passing over each member, who sits in sombre silence, perhaps refusing to say a word until the facts of their situation have all been made clear.

Her red lips part slightly, and the words that leave her throat are surprisingly soft. "Is everyone present?"

Hums of agreement leave each members throat, and the redheaded woman quickly takes a count, coming up with exactly as many members as they should have.. Minus the heavily injured Aigis. A sigh leaves her lips, and finally she takes her own seat.

No one says a word for quite some time, the only noise being the occasional shift of clothing as the air became increasingly awkward. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, the one sitting closest to the dark haired boy, who happened to be the ever gentle Yamagishi, leans forward, and began to speak with a concerned tone to her sweet voice.

"Are you okay, Ryoji-kun?"

"Yeah, I'm okay." He nods his head slowly, and his eyes meet her own. "Thanks."

His body shivers as he inhales, his mind beginning to formulate the next part of what he's going to say. Just watching the 'boy' function was strange. Though they all knew he was a Shadow, through and through, everything he did made him feel more and more human. Ryoji even had a few of their leader's habits, like how his fingers fiddled with the ends of his cuffs, or how he bit his lower lip before speaking. Perhaps they hadn't noticed it before, but now with the truth out in the open, it was hard to not notice the similarities.

"Besides, there's more I need to tell you guys."

There was a worried glance shared between the group as Mitsuru speaks up once more. "There are many questions we need answered. To begin with, you said Shadows were here to facilitate the rebirth of the maternal being.. Please elaborate on this."

"The maternal being is called Nyx." Ryoji explains, though if anything, it only leaves them with more questions.

"Who the hell's Nyx..?" Junpei asks, scowling deep enough for the lines to settle into his skin.

"Nyx is the mother of Shadows. In ancient times, she bestowed ' _Death_ ' to this world." The boy's hands clench tightly together in his lap, his eyebrows furrowed tight together as he gives them the information they searched for. "If she is awakened, darkness will once again cover the land, and all life will vanish."

"All life will vanish!?" The words leave Sanada's lips, his voice filled with a disbelief as his repeat of the phrase only serves as a way for it to truly sink in to everyone else's minds.

Minato feels an all too familiar feeling in his arm, and when he turns his gaze there, he finds Kotone gripping tightly at his sleeve, something she hadn't done in quite a bit of time– thanks to her wish to become more independent. Yet here she was, holding onto him tight in desperation for some kind of protection that he used to provide, back when she knew nothing of the Dark Hour, and had no way to protect herself. She knew the exact meaning of those words, and it terrified her to the point that she had frozen up almost entirely, and reacted the only way she knew how.

"Are you saying.. everyone will die!?"

"It would be more accurate to say that.." His gaze falls on the two seniors. "Everyone will forfeit the will to live."

Kirijo freezes up, as the realisation falls in her mind. "Are you talking about the Lost!?"

The same conclusion falls into everyone's minds as the pieces fall together. Every single human being will become just like the Lost with the rebirth of the maternal being.. and it would only lead to the extinction of mankind, and with that came the end of the world as they knew it. His sister's clutch on his arm only tightens, and he sees her eyes widen with a fear he's never seen.  
She's always been afraid of death. From the moment the accident happened, she had been desperate to continue living, whether it was for their parents sake, or for her own sake. The fact he was so careless with the precious life he had been given always made her angry, especially because he knew how much she worried for him. Yet now, they were face to face with an inescapable end.

"..The Fall.."

The words on the tips of everyone's tongue are spoken out loud, by Kotone of all people. The insane ramblings of Ikutsuki on that night fit into this puzzle without even the need to think about it twice over. Yukari turns her gaze to the auburn haired girl, brown eyes wide as she spoke with a shake to her voice, her words optimistic, yet the tone she spoke in betrayed her.

"But, there's still a chance to keep it from happening, right?"

Silence.  
That was all they needed to respond to her with, and her face fell.

"Wh-What..? There's.. There's no way to prevent it..?"

Ryoji shook his head, and the despair sunk in. "..I'm sorry.."

"Wait, what are you apologising for!?" Her hands shake against the hem of her skirt. "Are you saying it's for certain!?"

"Yes.. You all heard the bell.." The bell. The bell that tolled the night after the final Shadow. The bell that tolled the night Ikutsuki betrayed them, the night that Kirijo-san died. It was that sound that meant the end of the world. "I'm The Appriser.. The Appriser of Death.. My existence is the affirmation of the Fall."

"..The affirmation.. of the Fall.."

Nobody is able to find the right words. The Fall is inevitable.. The entire human race will become members of the Lost.. and the world will end. They only needed Ryoji's existence to confirm the impending extinction of mankind. Fear filled everyone's expressions, and it was like a heavy weight on everyone's shoulders. A heavy pit in the bottom of their stomachs, the end of them all was coming, and nobody could stop it.

"When!?" Sanada's voice is rough as he yells, standing from his seat with wide grey eyes. "When will it happen!?"

"..I'm afraid.. you will not live to see spring.."

"But, that's not too far away!" Despair. That was the only word to explain the feeling in the air. It was like a powerful pressure weighing on all of them. It wasn't only the pressure of their own lives coming to a end soon, but it was the pressure of billions of lives that they couldn't prevent the end of. The lives of normal people going about their days, the lives of children who would never grow up, who will die without knowing anything better, the innocence in their eyes snuffed out, their wills to live ripped from them in mere moments.

As his dark eyes went over his friends faces, an awkward laugh leaves Junpei's throat. "Wh-What're you guys freaking out about? All we have to do is defeat this Nyx! And that won't be a problem cuz we've never lost!"

"..Is that possible..?" Kotone asks, her red eyes filled with sorrow.

"H-Hey, c'mon!" Iori turns to her, unable to believe what the normally overly optimistic and cheerful girl was saying. "That's not the Kocchan I know!"

"Defeating Nyx is.. impossible." Ryoji states, matter-of-fact, yet not even close to being rude sounding, or annoying. He only spoke the truth that they all needed to know, yet they didn't wish the hear. "It has nothing to do with strength, ability, or power. Just as all living things die.. and the flow of time is continuous.. Nyx cannot be defeated."

"What..?" Anger bubbles up. "That's **_bullshit_**!"

"This is all so sudden.." Amada murmurs, and Minato can't help but feel his skin crawl. Amada was only, what.. eleven? The idea that this little boy would never get the normal life they all wished for him, that he'd never grow older than how he was now, it made him feel sick.

"I was born from a collection of Shadows. But now.. I have a human form.. So I can talk with you, laugh with you, cry with you.. All gifts I received because I was inside him." He feels gazes fall on him, and he wants to fade away into nothing. All he can feel is guilty. Everything is his fault.. If he hadn't returned to Iwatodai, the twelve wouldn't have reunited with Ryoji. "Thanks to that.. I am able to give you a choice."

"A-A choice..?"

"Nyx's coming cannot be avoided. But, it is possible to live in peace until she arrives."

Finally, for the first time today, he speaks. "What do you mean?"

"You'll have to.. kill me." Though he was the one to suggest it, Ryoji is clearly as disliking of the idea as the rest of them were, his voice a slight shake as he speaks it. He doesn't want to do that. It's not Ryoji's fault, it's not his fault that he was born the what he was. "If I were to disappear, all memories of the Dark Hour would disappear with me. As would any recollection of the fate that awaits you. You won't remember anything. The coming of the Fall will be instantaneous.. and you will not suffer."

"We'll.. forget everything?" Mitsuru asks, her tone wavering.

"You'll be able to return to your normal lives. And in doing so, the time until the Fall will be slightly delayed." His suggestion was tempting. A way for them to forget everything they all knew, to return to a peaceful life and die without knowing that they were going to die. And yet.. "In essence, I am the same as Nyx and cannot be killed. But thanks to him, there's a part of me that's 'human'. So, if death comes from his hands, I think it may be possible."

The boy's eyes fall on his blue haired opposite, who finds his own hand clutching at his sister's own.

"If you don't kill me, you will suffer more than you could ever imagine. With no hope for salvation, you will live every day paralysed by the fear of your impending death. And I.. I don't want you to endure such pain."

A deep breath in and out. "..I.. I could never kill you. I could never let my memories go. I can't.. I can't kill you."

"You're so kind.. I'm sorry to put you through this.."

"I don't want my memories to be erased." Yukari states, clutching her fists tight. "To forget everything would be like hiding from the truth!"

"Would that really be such a bad thing? All that awaits you now is despair." He's desperate for them to kill him. "You don't know the terror of absolute death..! Please, don't make your decision without at least thinking about what I've said."

"Why is this happening!?" Ken screams, his hands against the sides of his head. He feels his sister's grip loosen on his sleeve, and her hands reach for the little boy, pulling him into a tight hug, close to her chest. Her hands ran through his dark brown hair, a soothing motion that might've not been just for him, but for herself as well.

"You don't have to decide right away." He hates this. "You have until December Thirty-First, New Year's Eve, to think about it. After that, I'll dissolve into the blackness of the Dark Hour and become intangible."

"Ryoji..?"

"I will disappear with the coming of Nyx anyways.. So, don't worry about me." The dark haired boy stands from his chair, and begins to head for the exit. "I'll be back on New Year's Eve.."

The door opens, and they all watch as the brightly coloured scarf descends away, leaving them all to the darkest of thoughts. Minato can barely believe it all anymore. Just like Pharos did, Ryoji's disappeared from their lives for a month. Though he feels like he'll never see that face again, he knows that he will.

..New Year's Eve.

How.. how is a person to decide how another dies? How is he supposed to make a choice for everyone's death sentence?  
He can't think clearly.

* * *

 _December 9th, 2009._  
 _Late Night._

She hasn't been able to sleep at all. She would lie in bed all night, sit there in silence as the Dark Hour passed through once more, the darkness being the only thing resembling normalcy in their lives now. After Ryoji's reveal, some sort of cult following began to show their faces. Flyers everywhere, graffiti filled the once clean streets.. All talking about a 'Deliverance'. It wasn't a coincidence, and the others were connecting it all to Strega, who seemed to know more than they all let on. Everyone at school was worrying about the upcoming exams, not knowing that their lives were getting closer and closer to impending doom.

..She envied them. She envied how they could continue with their normal lives, worrying about the simplest of things that she could only dream of returning to. Worrying about her grades, because she hates studying even though it's not that bad. Worrying about what she'll make for dinner, with how picky her brother could be about what she placed on his plate.

They won't live to see spring.. Would that mean that she wouldn't live to see her and Minato's seventeenth birthday? February Twentieth. It was too close to the coming new year, to the coming of spring. She was scared. She hadn't felt this way since her first birthday after their parents had died, where she had sobbed and sobbed in front of their gravestone, begging for them to come back. It had taken her grandmother's powerful voice and Minato's vice-grip on her arms to pull her away from the scene that she had been causing.

Everyone had to make a decision.

They either killed Ryoji, or they continued to remain with their memories.

She didn't want to harm him. He wasn't a monster in her eyes, despite what his true nature was. In her eyes, he was a silly, perverted kid who loved the ladies, who flirted with anything wearing a skirt. He wasn't a Shadow, who towered over her and gave her a feeling of dread whenever she faced them. He was just.. Ryoji.

She didn't want him to die.  
And she didn't want to forget.

Forgetting meant she would forget the bonds she had formed with everyone.  
The trust they all placed in each other on the battlefield, and everything that came with it.  
She didn't want that to be taken away from her.

Whether that meant knowing she was going to die, and fighting trying to continue living on..  
So be it.

* * *

 _December 10th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

"Well, it's been a week." Yukari sighs out, as she crosses her arms tight against her chest. "What're we going to do?"

Her doe like eyes, hard from everything that had happened, shadows underneath them from the lack of sleep she'd been getting, trace everyone's serious features, until they fell on their small support member's face.

"..You okay, Fuuka?"

Surprise was etched on the teal haired girl's face. "You just seem so calm.."

"We have to make a decision.." The brunette sighs once more, her following words almost like poisonous jabs. "I mean, it's been such a drag around here lately, and no one will go to Tartarus.."

"..You're right." Mitsuru nods her head in agreement to the younger girl, who seems quite pleased to have been agreed with. "We humans are quite resilient. We can adapt to any situation, given enough time. So, how about it, everyone? Why don't we talk about it?"

Everyone was uncomfortable, the awkward air filling the dormitory's lounge room. Nobody wanted to talk about it, why would they? It was talking about their decision on a death sentence, either one for a single boy, or one for the entire human race. Perhaps, normally, that would be an easy decision to make, but it really wasn't. Because either way, the entire population would die. Perhaps killing a single boy would delay it for a short amount of time, but it wasn't something they were willing to do.

Ken turned his gaze to Akihiko beside him. "..Have you made your decision, Sanada-san?"

"No.." He sounded tired; and it worried Kotone. Everyone was tired. She was too. "..But, I don't plan on running away."

That sounded like him. He wasn't going to just give up on the precious life he'd been given, thanks to the sacrifices and the fighting that they'd all been doing. He would never give up, he wouldn't run away. So she wouldn't either.

"So you're going to fight Nyx?" The redhead asks.

"I don't know. I mean, it's supposedly undefeatable." He smiles, perhaps excited by the challenge of facing an opponent that supposedly, he could never win against. It was foolish, but it was the only thing that resembled the normal way their lives were before this reveal. "What about you? What are your thoughts on it?"

Kirijo sighs. "Honestly, this is the first time I've ever really contemplated my own death.. It's quite a sobering thought. I don't want to suffer.. and I don't want to kill Mochizuki. But, either way, we still die. So, there is no simple answer."

"Then," Fuuka begins, commanding their gazes to return to her. "Do we all agree that we don't want to hurt Ryoji-kun?"

"Is that how you feel?"

"Well, I, um.."

"It's okay, Fuuka." Takeba reassures her. "I mean, it's not natural to choose how you're going to die.. What about you, Junpei? Have you decided?"

"No.."

A smirk forms on the brunette's face, and she leans towards the baseball capped teen. "What's the matter? Scared?"

"..What the hell do you mean by that?" Junpei begins to raise his voice. "You think this is a joke!? We're going to die! Of course I'm scared! You all need to wake up! This is death we're talking about here!"

Clutching her fists tighter and tighter, feeling her nails dig into her palms, she finally stands up and speeds over to the other junior girl, her open palm slapping across the girl's cheek. The sound resounds through the quiet air, and it brings everyone's attention to the scene. Yukari raises a hand to her cheek, increasingly reddening to the attack, her wide eyes on the person who had slapped her.

Kotone.

"Junpei's right.." Her voice is a little more than a whisper, yet it had the harshness of a yell. "We all need to wake up. We can't be making jokes about this, we can't be pretending like everything's going to be a-okay.. Because it's not. Wake _**up**_ , Yukari! Maybe you're okay running from the truth, but I'm not!"

The chestnut haired girl's shoulders shake, with a mixture of anger and fear that only began to subside as she took small steps backwards, sliding down into her seat beside Ken and Akihiko. She doesn't say a word, picking her legs up onto the couch and pulling her knees tight to her chest.

Mitsuru's gaze turned to the two who had argued loudly, and she sighs. "Then, what do you two want to do? Do you want to kill him?"

"No!" She screamed, her eyes wide with tears forming. She hates this. She hates it so much. She hates fighting with everyone, she hates facing her own death so head on. She wants to live, she doesn't want everything that she knows and loves to end. "What am I supposed to do..?"

"There's nothing we _**can**_ do!" Junpei seems to agree with her, his voice quivering from his own increasing sorrow. "The only one who can kill him is.. Minato.."

His hands tighten into balls, and he stomps over to the blue haired boy sitting still, grabbing the boy by his collar.

"Did you ever notice..?" When Minato shakes his head in silence, the anger that was forming on top of his sorrow only deepened. "You had that _ **thing** _ inside you and you didn't even notice!? You're the one that raised it..! You're the one that bought about the Fall!"

"Junpei!"

"Can't.. Can't you do anything about it!?"

He was so desperate. And yet, finally, Minato spoke up. His words filled with anger, his tone the loudest it had ever been. "How could I have known!? That night I lost my parents! I never even knew there was something inside of me until I returned here to Iwatodai!"

"Stop it, Junpei! It's not his fault!" Her mind seems to be away from the red mark on her cheek, and more on stopping the fight that seemed to be breaking out. "Him carrying it is the only reason we even have this choice!"

"I know that, dammit! But.." He backs off. "In my head, I might know.. But even know I know thinking about it might not solve anything.. I'm still scared, dammit!"

"I know how you feel, Junpei-kun.. I'm scared too."

Akihiko crosses his arms. "Yeah. We're all scared."

"Yes.." Mitsuru clutches her arms. "I.. I can't stop shaking."

"Me either." Yukari lowers her head into a bow. "I'm sorry I teased you, Junpei. I was just trying to lighten up the situation. Personally, I don't want to forget everything. I've learned so much since coming here.."

Her pink lips quivering, Kotone bows her head down. "I'm sorry, Yukari.. I shouldn't.. I shouldn't have slapped you. I was just.. I couldn't believe you had said that.. I'm so sorry.."

"It's okay, Kotone. Really. I shouldn't have said it in the first place."

"Yukaricchi.. Kocchan.." Sniffling a little, Junpei apologises as well. "I'm sorry I kept yelling like that.."

"I don't think any of us could have stood up to you right now, Junpei.. So, don't worry about it." She turns to Minato. "Right?"

"..Sorry." Their leader murmurs, his eyes lowered.

"You don't have to apologise.. I know this isn't your fault.." The boys share a quiet look. "I didn't mean to lash out at you earlier."

Inhaling deeply, the true leader of SEES– though it was more in name now, considering that even she considered the quiet blue haired boy to be their proper leader for everything, decides to make the final decision. "Alright, I don't think we're just prepared to make a decision just yet. Mochizuki said he'll be back on New Year's Eve, so we still have some time to think about it.. So until then, let's just try to live our lives as normally as possible."

To live normally.. Was that something they were all able to do anymore?

* * *

welcome to flora's hell park how tough are ya  
the end of this chapter is very dialogue heavy, sorry;;;  
my depression became 10x worse while writing this

grim- yea i live in australia  
also? how our angel took it? bad. very very bad.  
and nah nah i mean im rlly enjoying all the twists and turns and i cant wait to see what happens next

i hope y'all enjoyed;;; i'll see y'all next one


	57. minds made (chapter 56)

me: makes myself depressed with the last two chapters  
me: starts this chapter off with depression

* * *

 _December 19th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

She doubts anyone but the seniors got good grades on their exams.

Everything on the paper was familiar, almost like it had been drilled into her mind, but the second she picked up her pencil to write down an answer, her mind became like a blank slate. Anything on the paper that she had wrote down was a scribbled mess in comparison to her normal handwriting, and her answers were most likely as awful.

They had a little over a week to settle into the idea of 'returning to normal' despite the knowledge they had obtained, but it was clear nobody had truly relaxed. Junpei had moaned the whole way back to the dorm that he'd bombed the exams, muttering about how it was impossible for him to concentrate when he knew the world was going to end. Yukari too, was utterly exhausted from their tests, feeling the same as she had before the last midterms, when they thought that was to be the final battle.

And well.. she highly doubted that her scores were going to be any better.

According to the two, Minato had been even more spaced out than usual, an oddity considering it was test season. He normally buckled down and took it seriously, but it seems that from their accounts, her brother had become unable to do something he was so used to doing without second thoughts. That really worried her–– he was clearly taking it the worst, and what Junpei had said the other night definitely didn't help. It worried her, it worried her to the point of making her feel sick, but there wasn't much she could do. The decision to what happens to them all fell into his hands.

But she'll have to talk to him about it, at least so he knows her standpoint.

Flopping back on her bed, she kicked one of her legs up high, stretching out her foot. She could count the bruises that scattered her pale thighs and shins, purple and black markers from their constant missions into Tartarus. They hadn't gone these past few days because of exams, which meant that slowly, but surely, her bruises were beginning to heal. Marks of the battles they had gone through, marks of the attempts that they've made to save the world. Was it all worth anything at this point? With death marching towards them at the pace it was, she felt as though everything she did past this point wasn't worth it.

Thinking like that.. she feels like those sorts of thoughts will cause Astraea to turn on her. That's how that sort of thing worked, wasn't it? ..The way she is right now, she can't be that 'shining light' she wanted to be. Her shoulders shake as she takes deep inhales and exhales of cold air, her rose-irises trailing to her window, where moonlight lit up snow that fell across the window pane.

She stares the glow of pure white down, trying to think about something other than the creeping, crawling feeling of betrayal that could occur if she continued to be so pessimistic. Her Persona was born on optimism, born on the wish to protect others, no matter what it costed. Astreaea was born on the wish to become independent, and to become a beacon glimmering in the darkness that surrounded the Dark Hour.

..She just needs to regain that optimism.

It hits her like a slap to the face–– something that reminds her of the guilt she felt because of what she did to Yukari.  
She had an idea, a small one to at least bring a smile onto everyone's faces for one day.

Christmas was coming up, right..?  
Handmade gifts are filled with feelings.

Shoving herself up into a sitting position, she giggles a little.  
First, she'll bring up the mood. And then, she'll talk to Minato about her decision.

* * *

 _December 20th, 2009.  
_ _Daytime._

Yukari sits in her room, mostly brooding over the recent events that had occurred, and over the state it had left her team mates. She hadn't seen Kotone's face since last night, though the fact that breakfast was laying out on the table in cling wrap meant that she had been awake some time before the rest of them, and had simply retired back to her bedroom for the day. Fuuka had been trying to relax, and Junpei was.. well, being as Junpei-like as he could, considering the atmosphere. She was still worried about Minato, though.

She had barely eaten anything over the past week, having taken small nibbles out of every meal she found laid out on the dining room table, her eyes glazing over every time she spotted a note that simply said 'eat without me', written like chicken scratch in the normally cute, bubbly handwriting of their leader's sister. Without a doubt, the twins were the worst affected, and their depressed natures only pressured on everyone else.

A knock on the door catches her attention, firmly snapping her out of her thoughts.

"Yes, who is it?" She calls out, unsure of who exactly it could be. She presumed Fuuka, but..

"It's me."

The voice is quiet, almost sad sounding, but there's no mistaking that vocal tone. It lacked it's usual power, and command of authority, but no matter what, it was still hard to not recognise. Shoving herself off her bed, she quickly begins to head for the door, opening it up for the older woman.

Red curls quickly make their way into her room, their vibrant sanguine colouring a contrast against the beige and pink that decorated her room. The door is quickly closed behind the taller woman, and the two take seats down on the bed.

The owner of the room they were in speaks first. "You don't stop by very often, Senpai.. Is something wrong?"

"No," Shoving a handful of long locks away from her face, Mitsuru responds. "I just wanted to talk."

A smile forms on the brown haired girl's lip-gloss stained lips, and she leans forward. "Awww.. are you feeling lonely?"

Slurring the final word into something resembling baby talk, she giggles a little. It doesn't seem to offend, as her senior only chuckles back, hiding her laughter behind an elegant hand.

"Hey.. are you teasing me?"

"No." Her voice is firm, but soon she breaks into more giggling. "..Well, maybe just a little."

The other laughs, and for once in a little over a week, she finds semblance of normalcy in their new daily lives, one she thought had been long lost to the ravages of time, lost to battles and a war that seemed to never end. No– the war was going to end. It was going to end with the death of the human race, and the little soldiers of SEES were powerless to stop it.

Her lips purse tightly, and she sighs. "..I wonder what this Nyx is like.. Hey– do you think it's inside Tartarus?"

"I have no idea.."

"Oh, by the way.. I've made my decision." This catches the other's attention, and she turns hard, determined eyes onto her senior. "I want to fight to the end. It's better than doing nothing. That's why you're here, isn't it, Senpai? To talk about our decision?"

"I.. I guess it is."

A giggle. "You're so easy to read."

"I've made my decision as well." A deep breath in and out, Kirijo crosses her arms tight across her chest. "Kirijo is making great strides to turn itself around. After I graduate, I plan to assume leadership of the Group and continue where my father left off. I cannot turn back now, even if I wanted to."

"..But, what if you die?" Concern fills doe like irises, blinking up at her friend through soft eyelashes.

"If I die defeating Nyx, then the Kirijo Group will have to continue on without me." It sounded so plain, so planned out, that Yukari could hardly believe she was talking to a girl only a year older than her. "But I am confident they would fulfil my wishes."

"Ryoji said that Nyx can't be defeated.. but I kinda wonder about that." A huff. "I don't think our dear leader can be killed, either."

"I agree.. Death dwelling within him, amplifying his abilities, though he was already exceptional to begin with."

"He's been burdened with so much, it's no wonder he was so apathetic when he first arrived." Pulling her knees to her chest, she sighs. "It made me so happy to see how he began to change– befriending the other boys, smiling.. Gosh, I sound like his mom.."

A weak laugh leaves her lips, and she begins to absentmindedly pick at her nails.

"But seeing him change so much over the year made me want to change, too.. He's so depressed right now, and what Kotone said to me the other day made me realise.. This weighs on him the worst, doesn't it..? Thinking like that.. It's helped me get through all this." A smile forms on her lips, and for once in a while, it's a genuine, true smile, that crinkles her eyes and let's the dimples in her cheeks show.

"Besides, all this fighting isn't all so bad! I got the best friends of my life out of the deal."

The two share a small gaze, smiles between the two of them speaking all the words that they needed to hear. There needn't be anything else, only quiet looks of reassurance and nods of the head.

"You're right."

"Y'know, if things don't work out, I think I'll still be okay, so long as I'm with everyone." Mitsuru had to agree with that. The idea of facing her own death terrified her, yet with everyone else by her side, with Yukari by her side, she feels as though it might be a little easier to bear. "Honestly, it doesn't matter whether or not we die. All that matters is we're proud of how we lived. And I'd be proud if we decided to fight Nyx."

"Does you decision have anything to do with your father?"

That was blunt. "..A little. But, it's more about me and how I feel."

"I understand."

"Senpai, when we were in Kyoto, you asked me to stand by your side.. Do you remember?"

"..Yes, I remember." Without a second thought in her mind, the redhead takes Yukari's tanner hands into her own. "We will fight together, Yukari."

"..Together."

* * *

 _December 22nd, 2009._  
 _After School._

Her eyes trail underneath her taller friend's eye, where she sees the familiar colours of black and blue bruising his sun-kissed skin. They were on their way home, dragging feet through the snow until it accidentally led them to the shrine. Normally, she'd make mention of their location, offhandedly saying they turned the wrong way, but she can't cast her attention away from his eye.

He notices her powerful stare, and he frowns.

"Oh.. you noticed. Don't stare at it too much." He grimaces, and runs a calloused hand across the bruise. "..It's just a punch."

Worry filling her expression at those words, she only looks harder. "Who did it?"

"Um, w-well, who cares!" Junpei's face flares up, and she can tell it's not because of the cold. "Don't bother asking, okay? It's really lame! I don't wanna say it!"

Scratching is buzz-cut underneath his hat, which shielded his face from the cold winter air, she can tell he's crumbling underneath the pressure that she's laying on, desperate for an answer. She can't help but be worried, after all. Junpei had a huge mouth, it didn't seem hard for her to believe he said the wrong thing at the wrong time to some upstart. Especially with everything that's been going on.

"Well, in any case.. I don't think there's going to be any more photos of you going around." She pauses in her walk in disbelief, trying to process what he just said. With everything going on, she had completely forgotten about the photographs of her that were circulating around the school campus.

"Thank you!"

His blush becomes more prominent, if that were even possible. He laughs awkwardly, unused to such praise coming from anyone. Scratching his goatee awkwardly, he diverts his gaze away from her. "I think.. this is my first time."

"..Getting punched?"

He snorts. "I've been punched way too many times before."

She giggles a little; that sounded more believable than him never getting hit before. Heck, she's seen him be punched before– trips to Tartarus provided with plenty-a-punch, especially when psychological attacks on their members were done.

"I thought that if I laughed my way out of everything, I'd never be in trouble." He sighs. "..That's why I try to avoid having to be serious whenever I can.. You know those times when everyone sits around and talks seriously? I really don't like those, so I goof around.. I thought I could breeze my way through things, and try to be fun. It's so much easier than having to do stuff like understanding other people. But after meeting you, and Chidori.. and the others.. after everything that we've been going through, I've changed a little."

She's noticed. The other night, when she sided with him.  
That was the most serious he's ever been during one of their meetings.

"Not everything's about everyone's cool, right? Everyone has parts of them that are cool or lame.. But they're doing what's best for themselves." He looks up to the cloud filled sky. "After seeing you all like that.. I think I got scared. There's no way you can understand each other unless you say what you think. Staying quiet and trying to act cool won't tell anybody anything. ..S'probably why I was so angry at Minato in the beginning."

He placed a hand on her head, and ruffled the auburn curls that covered it.

"Seeing you both, two people way smaller than me put everything they have into something.. It made me ashamed of myself." Junpei's hands dug further into his pockets, searching for a warmth. "I've never tried my hardest in anything. I don't take anything seriously. That's why I never gain anything.. and why I'm never happy. I realised that I'm not living my life at all."

"Junpei.." Her expression falls, and he notices.

With a bright grin on his face, he laughs. "What's with that face? I can be serious sometimes, too, right?"

"It's not that, I just.." Unable to grasp the right words, he ruffles her hair once more, and sighs softly, turning his dark eyes away from her watchful stare.

"Y'know, when I got back those pictures of you.. it crossed my mind. In the end, I just wanted you both to trust in me." Confusion sets in, and she tilts her head to one side, her puzzled expression saying everything. "Like, if someone like you could trust me, then I might be worth something.. But trying to get you to rely on me to solve this is just wrong. You're.. an important friend of mine, after all."

An embarrassed laugh leaves his lips.

"Minato is too." Stretching out his arms, he takes a look around the playground. "Sucks this place doesn't have any swings. Don't you just get the urge to swing once in a while?"

She giggles, and nods her head in agreement. "It's like flying."

"Yeah ..I used to ride swings a lot when I was a kid. I'd get close to the sky and think that I could go somewhere else.. Somewhere that isn't here.. That's what I'd think about when I was on a swing." He chuckles, and shrugs his shoulders. "Let's ride on one together some time. You know how to get two people on one swing, right? One stands, the other sits!"

Excitement fills her eyes, and she briskly runs through the cold air over to the playground, waving her arms out. "We'll all have to play together here sometime!"

He nods his head. "By the way, uh..Thanks for backing me up, by the way.. I never said thank you."

Turning towards him, she kicks up a large lump of freezing snow and chucks it at him. It hits him in the chest, and he squeals out like a girl. Laughing slightly, Kotone quickly gives him a bright smile.

"No sadness! For now, let's just forget everything! Besides, I have some really important things to tell you!"

She ends up talking to him about several things on their way home, including informing him of a certain relationship that she's been in for nearly two months now. It surprises him to know end, causing him to cough up a storm in disbelief. For now, this is what she needs. This is the 'normal life' that Kirijo-senpai had told them all to continue going about with.

She can't be depressed anymore.  
She has to face forward, to the future.  
No matter what.

* * *

 _December 23rd, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

The back alleyway is silent, snow dripping off metal railings and staining the graffiti-covered concrete below the small boy. He finds himself coming here more often than not, but with the recent events, Amada Ken has ended up in the location where the man he once hated had died keeping him alive.

If he thought long and hard, he could still smell the blood in the air– and the hard gunpowder that wafted through the night. If he closed his eyes, he could still see the body of a man who died selflessly, even though he had selfish reasons behind it. And if he really put his mind to it, he could feel the weight of a dead man on top of him, feel the cold metal of his spear in his tiny hands.

This place haunted his dreams, like the ghost wouldn't leave him be.

"I thought you were gonna go visit your mother's grave.." He whips around in surprise at another voice, though the owner he's able to easily distinguish thanks to the relative pitch and slight husk that it had. He greets the man with a small wave of his hand.

"Oh, hi, Sanada-san.."

Crossing his arms, the man raises an eyebrow. "Is this where you should be?"

"Well, I was planning to.." He begins, and a small smile crosses onto his face. "But when I thought about what I was gonna say to her, it didn't feel right. There are still things I need to do before I talk to her again."

Seemingly satisfied with that answer, the tall boxer takes a seat down beside his younger team mate, and his own face is graced with the soft etches of a smile.

"Yeah, same here. I don't have anything I need to tell Shinji right now." His expression darkens only the slightest bit, such a small change that if Ken wasn't observing the silver-haired man with all his might, he wouldn't have noticed. "..I have my own stuff to deal with."

His brown eyes divert away, and he begins to draw patterns in the cold snow around him with his bare hands. "An undefeatable enemy, huh? Gosh, I wonder what it's like."

"..You got me." Akihiko shrugs, and Ken briefly wants to say something about the older man's track record as a boxer. If anything, to other schools, surely Sanada would have been the 'undefeatable enemy'. "But, it doesn't matter... because I've made up my mind."

He's cut off before he can mention anything, but the words that come out of the man he looked up to's lips aren't very surprising.

"I'm gonna look it straight in the eyes."

"..Straight in the eyes.." He repeats slowly, and a grin forms. "I like the sound of that. You can count me in, too!"

"Yeah."

Determination fills the two boys, who shake hands with a firmness that truly only the two team mates could understand. Even if it wasn't there decision to make in the end, they knew what they wanted to do. They were going to fight to the very end, and if they died.. well, at least they tried.

* * *

 _December 23rd, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Koromaru excitedly runs off ahead of the two teenagers, barking loudly as he tried snapping at some snow that fell down to the earth from the heavens above. In her hands she held his leash, having taken it off of him so he could freely enjoy himself on their walk.

Huffing out a small sigh, she watches Sanada-senpai's eyes trail from the puff of white air that left his lips to her. "It's pretty cold today, too. Shouldn't you be wearing something warmer?"

Briefly, she begins to observe her clothing, consisting of her usual winter wear of a pale orange sweater and a skirt, though she always remembered to put leggings and a scarf on before leaving the dormitory. Despite that, she definitely was still a little cold, the tip of her nose and ears painted red thanks to the cold kiss of winter air. When her senior notices that she brings her hands to her mouth to breathe warmth onto them, he smiles.

"If you're cold, tell me." He pulls his overcoat off quickly, and places it over her shoulders.

Her cheeks flush a little red, though now it's out of shyness rather than the temperature. "..Thanks.."

She pulls the coat around her properly, noting the slight scent of cleanliness that clung to it, soap and the detergent they had at the dorm, and she can't help but smile. It was really warm, though she's not sure whether it's because of the feelings attached to it or because he had just been wearing it. She decides that it's both, liking the sound of both ideas best.

"The city's getting pretty lively around this time of year." She had noticed. The streets bustled with people on their ways to school, and she had little doubt it was thanks to their proximity to _Minato-ku_ and Tokyo. "I never looked forward to Christmas before, and yet now.. Man, it feels strange."

She laughs slightly. "I'll do my best on Christmas Day so everyone has lots of fun!"

"I'm looking forward to it." He sighs again, and she watches the white air raise up. "Everything's changed, all thanks to you.."

He chuckles.

"What's up with me..?"

She slides her arm in between his own, and holds it close to her. Since she has his jacket now, she feels like it's only fair to provide a warmth to him in another way. He smiles at her, and she can't help but feel glad that he's a lot more cheerful than he was at the start of the month. With the final days approaching closely, she realises now that everyone's making their minds up, and she already knows what their decisions are.

"I'll talk to Minato." He hums in confusion, and she quickly explains. "I'll tell him.. I'll tell him that everyone wants to fight."

He nods his head in agreement to the idea, and takes her hand in his own. The two welcome Koromaru back as he barks with an excitement like she couldn't believe, and the three head back home to their dormitory together, soft words of plans for Christmas Eve whispered between the two.

* * *

 ** _CHRISTMAS DATE CHRISTMAS DATE CHRISTMAS DATE_**  
GGOD I LOVE THE CHRISTMAS DATE SOOOO MUCH  
but thats because i love akihiko.. why is he such a good boy(tm)

no minato in this chapter bc hes depressed and being.. minato.

ANYWAY im really glad y'all seem to like the idea of me writing other fics!  
i definitely have a bunch of little ideas for sequel fics for this one rattling in my brain so!

writingsoul- THAT is coming and i dont want it to come tbh  
im gonna get real close to it and then the next chapter i post will be 'giving up, dont want to do THAT'  
lmao jk.. but it will hurt me a lot

ANYWAY the next chapter will be christmassy fun! (in july)  
before me get to the depression again

i hope y'all enjoyed this one and i'll see y'all in the next one!


	58. christmas (chapter 57)

_**QFWFF IM GOIN WILD!**_

* * *

 _December 24th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Akihiko had promised to get her after class ended for their little date. True to his word, only minutes after the bell had rung, the senior had made his way into her classroom, attracting the attention of practically anyone and everyone who was still lurking around. Female students in the classroom are practically going wild, squealing and cooing over his sheer presence, and all she can do is feel like melting into her feeling of self-consciousness.

He takes curious looks around the classroom, giving a small nod of hello to Fuuka as he attempted to find the seat of the person he was looking for.

Once he did, he made his way over to the girl and her table, middle row, one seat from the window. She quickly chucked her things back into her bag, cheeks flushed in embarrassment at the whispers of gossip that filled the air, and she turned to her senpai.

"L-Let's get going." He mumbles, diverting eyes away.

Holding her schoolbag close to her chest, she nods her head. "R-Right!"

She quickly follows him out of the classroom, her neck prickling with the intense gazes of other people. If she remembered right, there was some gossip that the _'fan club'_ was tightening their security because of the holiday season. No wonder their glares were sharper than usual.  
Teenage girls were scarier than any Shadow she'd ever face.

* * *

Paulownia Mall was lit up with sparkling lights, Christmas trees made of their brilliance attracting her attention to practically everything. Rose-irises glimmer and sparkle with excitement as she twirls around the mall, giggling with an excitement she hasn't felt in quite some time. Sanada-senpai walks only a little behind her, his pace relaxed and calm compared to her childish enthusiasm, but the sweet smile on his face seem to imply that he was just enjoying their little outing.

"Wow, this is impressive." He compliments, gesturing her gaze to one of the green wreathes. "The Paulownia Mall looks pretty fancy with all this stuff up."

"It sure does!" She laughs, wrapping her arm around his own. These sorts of gestures she saved for privacy– walking Koromaru, the Dark Hour, or the safety of their dorm where they were only being watched by friends, but today, today she felt like she could get away with being to public.

"Today's a special day, after all." Despite how collected he speaks, she can tell that the second she came close in public, he became a little more than embarrassed. His ears are a little red, and the fact they were encased by the heated conditioning of the shopping mall only told her how embarrassed he actually was. He takes notice of her wide, watching eyes and little smile, and immediately points forward to save himself from only becoming more shy.

"Hey look, there are decorations over there, too. Let's go see."

She leads him around the mall, rather than entering any particular shop, the pair wander around and enjoy the glow of the lights that decorated the building. She points and gestures with a sunshine-like grin to a trio of large baubles of silver and red colours, giggling about how the colours match him. His cheeks flush and he quips back that they suit her more, which only makes her laugh more.

Her snow like skin glowed with an ethereal aura underneath the shimmering luminescence, allowing him to notice little things about her, little things that the shine only made more prominent. The glitter of star-like freckles across the bridge of her nose and cheeks, so hard to notice if they weren't so close together, the way her cheeks were stained with a rosy pink blush; whether it was makeup or her natural radiance he wasn't quite sure. How her lips were as roseate as she, both in their pretty colouring and the way enthusiasm spilled from them.

Perhaps it were a cliche, he wouldn't know considering he's never focused on the idea of love and romance before her, but he feels like the luckiest man on earth.

They walk and walk, little conversations about everything and anything leaving their vocals. He tells her of a time Shinji stole a present for Miki (though he leaves out how he forced his foster brother back to the store to apologise, crying the entire time), and in turn, she tells him of a happy Christmas with her parents.

"Our Christmases were family affairs," She begins, her bell like voice so incredibly suited to this time of year. "Grandparents, cousins, aunts and uncles.. That sort of thing. I think it was because we were trying to adapt; one of my mom's cousins married a foreign man, and his Christmases were always like that."

That would make sense. Compared to the western world, Christmas wasn't the same in Japan. It was mostly a commercial holiday, where businesses ruled the holiday season. Gift giving was a common occurrence, but the same sort of Christian tones that collected in western cultures didn't exist unless you were the deeply devout. If anything, Christmas was a festive for couples.

..Perhaps that was why he was noticing her even more than usual.

"But despite that, we did pretty much the same thing as everyone else. Gifts, chicken and cakes.. Her husband would laugh and tell us that what we did wasn't that different to his own customs." She chuckles. "That made it easier for all of us. So, we would all have fun, playing, laughing, singing silly songs and telling stories.. That sort of thing. My mom used to always reserve her breaks months ahead, and I'm pretty sure she would yell at her coworkers on the phone if they even dared to think about asking her to come in during the season."

He briefly wonders if Kotone would be the same. She was someone who adored her friends and family, who pampered and spoiled them with all the love and gifts that she could. In fact, he wondered if because of what was happening to the world around them, she only wanted to up her ante and make sure that everyone could feel the spirit of Christmas, so nobody was upset for at least one single day.

"When we would head home, and it would be just the four of us.. She used to give us cookies and honey-milk before bed. It was our special occasion treat, and it's probably why Minato loves that drink so much. It's filled with memories of her, even if he wont say that out loud." Her carmine eyes glaze over with a nostalgic feeling, though there wasn't an inch of sadness left. "She would _**never** _ fill us with sugar before bed, which was why it was so special. And Dad, Dad would always try his hardest to decorate the house with pretty ornaments and candles, though he would refuse to light them if was going to be only me and Minato in the room."

She snickers.

"Looking back on it, that was for the best. Minato was a little monster, even if he's all quiet and calm now." He could believe that. Despite how laid-back he appeared on the surface, the eldest Arisato was just as emotional as his sister, if not even more, if that were possible. It wouldn't surprise him if Minato was one of those kids who liked to have fun, but was otherwise relaxed. The sort who wouldn't get in trouble for the things they did, because they were always good when they weren't playing around.

"That's why I love Christmas. It just reminds me of good memories, and how many more I'll be able to make. It's why I want everyone to have as much fun as I can tomorrow! So, I'll do my very best so we have the best Christmas party ever! And that's why, we'll have to just beat that Nyx right up!"

Her optimism was almost blinding. She truly believed that they had a chance, however little it may be. The way she was, like a beacon lighting up storming ocean waves in the darkness, was exactly what everyone in SEES needed. In Minato, they got a talented leader, who could create strategics and improvise battle tactics in the middle of a hellish bout. In Kotone, they got the emotional support that they all needed, someone who would continue to shove them forward, who wouldn't give up no matter what.

How she ever thought she was useless, he'd never know.

He nods his head in agreement, her use of phrasing reminding him all too much of what he'd said to Amada, who was a very impressionable child, who probably needed better role models than the two of them. Without a doubt, those words were inspiring.

With a smile, he takes one of her hands in his own gloved one and led her to one of the benches. "I've dragged you around enough.. Let's have a seat."

The two sit down, and there's a brief silence between the two of them, the timidness that alerted practically everyone who walked past that they were a new couple on their first 'proper' date, that didn't include training or travels into a tower from hell. Her bag is clutched tight to her chest, and just as she prepares to say something, he speaks up first.

"I-I.. I have a present for you." Her eyes light up, a mixture of confusion and excitement filling them as he unzips his school bag, pulling out a pale pink and silver box, adorned by roses. His cheeks were dyed the brightest shade of red she's ever seen them, and her pale hands brush against his gloved ones as she gingerly takes the box from him, accepting her present with disbelief.

Slowly, with light hands unwilling to touch it too hard in fear of breaking the beautiful item, she opens the item, curiosity untamed. Inside, it was adorned by the usual fabric that went inside jewellery boxes, in a shade of soft cream. What catches her attention is a little handle like object that stuck out of the top of the inside, and unable to sate her nature to learn more, she begins to turn it.

As soon as she lets go, the windup begins to turn backwards, and to her surprise, a melody begins to play.

Her eyes close to the rhythm, one she knows all too well. Perhaps most would know this tune, though she doubts that most would be able to identify it. She always was able to, thanks to her grandmother's love for the art of ballet. This was a song that she loved in the days after the accident, it had been like a soothing lullaby her grandmother would play when she couldn't sleep due to the haunting memories.

 _'Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy'_.

Not only was it all too nostalgic, but it suited the season she was gifted the present. It came from the Nutcracker, a Christmas ballet. As the song began to come to it's conclusion, she let it play out to the very last note, and finally, she closed the box with a tenderness that came with the fears of breaking such a beautiful item, and she turns towards her senior, who had been observing her every movement with steel eyes, a hard contrast against the crimson that stained his pale skin.

"I-I've never had to pick out something like this before.." He mumbles, his hand reaching for the back of his neck. "So.. Ah, never mind."

She smiles, ever so sweetly, and filled with a gentleness only gifted for him, and she places the box into her bag before she firmly wraps her arms around his neck in a tight hug. He, at first, is unsure of where to place his hands, as he stutters out in embarrassment at the sudden intimacy, though the soft whispers of a thank-you he hears murmured into his chest are all he needs to know.

Kotone pulls away, a little unwilling, and quickly places her hands on her lap. "I-I have something for you too!"

"You got me one, too..?"

As he raises an eyebrow, she began to dig into one of the bottom of her bag, before she pulled out a well packaged item, and handed it over to him with her face flared up like the flames she commanded in battle. He hadn't been expecting anything in return– so he's pleasantly shocked.

"Um.. I'm sorry if it's not as nice quality as something you might find in a store.." She quickly apologises as he unwraps the gift, and he finally spots the item she was giving her apologies for. A hand-knit scarf, a shade of red he'd seen poking out of a basket in the living area once or twice, and if it were possible, he's turned into a literal tomato in colour.

Holding the scarf by itself, removing the wrapping she had placed it in, his lower lip quivers. "This is.. for me? This is a bit.. _cute_ for me, don't you think?"

She pouts, and he quickly places a hand on her auburn curls, ruffling them slowly as he chuckles.

"Well, you made it, so I'll take it." Cautiously, as cautious as she had been with his gift, he begins to unfold the neat scarf, and wrap it around his neck. It had a certain warmth to it, one that he couldn't compare to anything else, other than the feelings of hard work and love that went into it. "..There's nothing wrong with a gift like this, after all."

Despite his words, he truly did love the gift. Something she had made for him, he would treasure it forever, no matter how short that may be. Tears welling in her eyes cause him to freak out as he turns back to her, and she smiles at him wide with a happiness that radiated the warmth of summer during the winter season.

"I'm so glad you like it!"

The exchanging of gifts over, he leans back on the chair, snuggling a little into his brand new scarf as words began to pour from his lips. "Christmas never meant much to me."

He admits, and she turns to him, feeling an incredible amount of guilt pooling in her stomach. She had been going on about how much she loved the holiday, without even thinking about him. She prepares to apologise, but he cuts her off.

"..In fact, it was more painful than anything. The town might get all lit up, but 'Santa' never visited me.." He smiles softly. "..He came for Miki, of course."

It doesn't take a genius for her to understand the why behind both of those things. Orphanages weren't the happiest of places, even if they were the most well kept and nice to live in places on this planet. Children whose wishes would never be granted by Saint Nicolas, a jolly old man who supposedly visited everyone. It was no wonder that Akihiko would always make sure that the lie would be kept for his little sister.

His hand takes her own, and he continues his soft whisper. "But this year.. He gave me a gift, too."

Her head hits his shoulder softly, and the words leave her vocal chords before she has a moment to analyse what she's saying. "Not just this year.."

"..Right.."

* * *

 _December 24th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The world above them, though stained white from condensation and frost, was clearly dark, an indicator of night's entrance. They hadn't move very much from their spot on the bench by the fountain, Sanada had only left once or twice to buy hot drinks from the nearby cafe. She knows that she'll be bombarded by cold winter air on their way out, and she's almost unwilling to leave the mall, despite how everything began to close. She didn't want to leave this moment, perhaps even she wanted time to stop.

"It's already pretty late.." His hand tight around his coffee, he pauses with his lips pursed together. "..About that present I gave you.. You can open it up and put stuff inside. The saleswoman said it's for storing jewellery.. I think.. I'll give you something new to put in it every year.."

Pausing from her small sip of hot chocolate, she turns towards him with wide eyes, her excitement not at the materialistic items she'd receive, but at the idea of the two staying together for many Christmases to come. She'd already told him that earlier, but she's glad to hear that come from his own voice. It was like a huge notice, one that told her that she wasn't the only one who wanted them to always be happy together.

"..D-Don't make that face to me."

Her small hands tight around her own warm drink, she looks up through thick eyelashes with strawberry eyes. "Can I.. move closer?"

"What, are you cold?" He asks, and without a missed beat, he lifts an arm around her and pulls her thin frame closer to his own. Her consciousness to the surroundings goes haywire, and she can only thank god that there was little to no people left roaming the halls, else the two would have died in their own pit of embarrassment. Leaning his head down, she feels soft silver locks against her neck, and he speaks quiet, deep voice so close to her ears that it sends shivers running down her spine.

"Your ears are like ice.." He murmurs.

It's a quiet night, and the two decide to not return to the dormitory until much later, revelling in each other's presence, enjoying the tenderness of a moment that's not bothered by anyone else.

* * *

 _December 25th, 2009._  
 _After School._

Shoving the sleeves of her blouse up past her elbows, she briefly thanks the reach that the Kirijo Group had, blessing them with heating inside of their dormitory, a luxury that some houses didn't have. She had practically ran home, hoping on the very first train that she spotted (lucky that Port Island Station had Iwatodai as it's first stop one hundred percent of the time!), and had locked herself inside of the kitchen, which she fluttered and buzzed around like the busiest of worker bees.

She had bought all the ingredients for Japan's special brand of Christmas cake on her last shopping trip, which only left her with the task of baking the thing in time for the actual party. She had this itching feeling that Kirijo-senpai would order them plenty of proper food to eat, especially with Junpei's constant insisting. Besides, despite how some saw her, the redheaded school council president was still a teenager surrounded by her friends, just like the rest of them.

She had crumbled under his excited asking before, and Kotone had little doubt that she would again.

If not, then she'd be absolutely stuck in a rut. Her entire plan for this Christmas party revolved around Junpei and his begging, so if it didn't work this time, then she'd have to improvise and cook even more food than normal, since it was for a celebration. She didn't want to ruin the party by not having enough food.. Just as she decides to make more food, her phone buzzes on the counter, and she quickly checks the message she had received.

Speak of the devil..

 _'Kirijo-senpai agreed to buy us chicken!'_

The second she reads the text, a large sigh of relief leaves her lips, her shoulders heaving down as she's filled with an overwhelming amount of solace in those words. No matter what he felt, without a single doubt in her mind, she believed that Iori was the saviour of this Christmas party. Now, without the worry of having to make any more food in her thoughts, she's able to focus all her attention on making the very best cake that she can!

She and Fuuka had made one for their unofficial Cooking Club not too long ago, and she had received a pair of handmade headphones from the demure girl. They had become an item she treasured, immediately replacing the store bought ones that were beginning to show signs of their age. So it wasn't like she was rusty in the art form of baking, nothing could be further from the truth, but she was just so determined to make this a fantastic celebration to keep everyone's minds off of the decision that was nearing in less than a week, that she felt a little frightened of failure.

Preheating the oven to the perfect temperature like the recipe said, and after buttering up a cake round tin, she began to flit around searching for all the ingredients she needed. She was feeding seven people– which meant that the cake had to be a little bigger than most other cakes of it's type so everyone could have a piece. She sets aside a large bowl of warm water, it being needed for later.

Grabbing another bowl, she cracks four eggs into the bowl and began to whisk them together, adding in sugar to the mixture every once in a while, mixing it all together until the sugar dissolved and combined with the egg. Lifting the bowl up, she quickly placed it over the bowl of warm water, and continued to whisk it together, watchfully eyeing the mixture until it turned an almost white shade.

Finding yet another bowl; this time one she could shove in the microwave, she poured milk into it and placed it inside of the microwave for a little over ten seconds, waiting for it to warm up before she pulled it out and mixed honey into the liquid. Bringing the warm, golden drink over to the egg-sugar mixture, she quickly poured the sweet liquid into the bowl, whisking it all together.

"Now then.."

She has to sift the flour and baking powder..

* * *

 _December 25th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Spreading out the fluffy cream onto the cake, she creates little swirls and peaks out of the sweet, cloud like texture. With the ripe, fresh strawberries she had puppy-dog eyed out of the man who was selling them, she begins to place the red fruits on top of snow-like peaks, creating a little circle around a sign that read out 'Merry Christmas!' in her poor attempts at the English alphabet. Despite that, she thinks it looks pretty good, all things considered!

The cream was sweet and fluffy, and she had made sure that the sponge cake had a lightness to it like air.

She just has to hope everyone likes it..

As those thoughts fill her mind, she hears the door to the dormitory open, and she hears several voices chime about the warm air that blasts them in the face as they enter the building. Sliding around the corner, out of the kitchen, she quickly greets the members who have just arrived, giving a small wave to her clearly freezing cold friends. Junpei practically runs in, a large box in his hands– which doesn't take her long to realise that it's the chicken that they'll be eating for dinner. He places the box onto the dining table, and she gives him a high-five.

To her surprise, Minato slides in quietly, slipping around the chatting Mitsuru and Yukari, and found himself sliding into one of the dining table chairs. She giggles a little; no wonder he was so excited. There was a certain charm to the pairing of Christmas and the chicken they had bought, as well as the cake she had just put the finishing touches on. Pulling off their heavy winter coats, dusting snow off their figures, everyone made their way into the dining room, surrounding the table with enthusiastic smiles.

Taking off her apron, she joins them. "Alrighty! Let's have a Merry, Merry Christmas!"

Resounds of excited cheering follow her words, and soon, the party begins. She brings the bottles of drink and cups out onto the table, and everyone began to divvy up the food, talking with a happiness that had been rare for these days. Even Minato, who had locked himself in his room for most of the time once he returned home from school, was enjoying himself with his friends, sipping on a barley tea and chewing on a piece of chicken that Sanada had forced onto his place.

Overall, she thinks it's going well. Everyone was enjoying themselves, despite the looming fate and choice that they only had a few more days to finish their deciding on. While Junpei, Fuuka and Minato were still a little depressed, at least they were able to let the mood take control for today. Everyone shares food, talking about silly things, like the past and how much has happened over the year– talking about how they all met, how SEES allowed them to meet the most important people of their lives.. Despite the uncomfortable truth of death, everyone seemed in agreement. They wouldn't trade everything that had happened for the world.

She brings out the cake next, and carefully slices it into eight pieces; one left over for them all to argue over, and everyone takes their share and digs into the sweet cake, singing compliments to their leader's sister, who only flushes red in embarrassment, insisting that it's not all that good and that she still has far to go in the field of baking. Despite that, everyone was enjoying themselves, and that was all she could ask for.

Half way through her slice, she remembers, and stands up from her seat with her hands slamming on the table.

"Kotone?"

"Kocchan? What's up?"

"I totally forgot!" She cries, and pushed her chair out in order for her to run up the staircase. Everyone watched in mild confusion, mixed with a curiosity as to what made her react like that, surprise filling their gazes as she came running back down the flight with neatly wrapped items in her arms. "I made.. everyone presents!"

"You didn't have to.." Kirijo says with a smile, but she's responded back to with a firm shake of the head.

"Nuh-uh! I totally _**did**_ have to! What's a Christmas party without gift giving?"

Placing the pile of presents down on her chair, she began to dig through the piles, checking the little tags she'd placed on them for who they belonged to, pulling out one at a time to give to her watching friends.

"Right! First up, is Amada-kun!"

The boy's cheeks flush, and he pulls himself out of his chair. "Kotone-san, you didn't have to get me anything.."

Despite his words, his eyes were sparkling with excitement, glittering with the sort of excitement that children all over the world felt on Christmas days just like today. Gingerly handing him the little present, he takes his seat once more and began to unwrap it, surprise filling his doe-like eyes when he's met with his gift. It's nothing big, but he's met with a handmade Featherman R bag strap. She'd spent a lot of her time studying the series' leader's outfit, so she could make a little knit version for the boy, and it looks like he liked her gift. His brown eyes look up at her with disbelief, and he looks ready to jump back out of his seat.

"Kotone-san, thank you so very much!" She grins bright at him, and waves her left hand in dismissal.

"It's fine, it's fine!" A sweet laugh, and she digs through for the next present. "Next we have.. Junpei!"

The gift giving goes on and on, and the others began to pull out their own small gifts to exchange around the table to each other. All of her's were hand made, a pair of knit-gloves for Junpei, and matching phone straps for Yukari, Mitsuru and Fuuka. She made Koromaru a slightly warmer version of his usual sweater, and for her brother, she gave him a pair of arm warmers for inside of Tartarus, quipping that he 'always looked cold'.

Soon, the present giving came to a slow stop, with everyone having been given their respective Christmas presents, though the party continued so long as they had food. Perhaps it was a silly celebration, but everyone had already agreed that this wouldn't ever be their last Christmas. They were supposed to only think of it as ' _this year's_ ', because they were going to win that impossible battle against Nyx. The only people who needed to come to their answers for what was going to happen now was their leader Minato, because it was always his decision, and Fuuka and Junpei, who had yet to show signs of their own decision.

Once those two came around, she'd talk to Minato.  
He couldn't argue against her if every single one of them wanted to fight.

The night raged on, as did their party, and for once in a few weeks, everyone's minds were off of the words that Ryoji had spoken.  
Tonight, they were only going to have fun, and enjoy the festivities.

* * *

YOU KNOW.. 3000+ words of this chapter are the christmas date, right?  
also if you want the recipe for japanese christmas cake just pm me and i'll tell u;;

ANYWAY this chapter was cheesy as fuck and i love it;; im so weak im sorry  
This chapter was my fav to write i just kind of.. flew while i was writing it i couldnt stop bro

NYWAY I HOPE Y'ALL LIKED THIS CHAPTER;;  
this is the first one in a while i wrote on my main computer so!

i'll see y'all in the next one! we'll be returning to mount depression so;;  
enjoy this slice of life shit while it lasts


	59. confrontation (chapter 58)

QDQQQQ angst time GO

* * *

 _December 27th, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

The second semester had finished yesterday, with students gleefully escaping the cold buildings of Gekkoukan High, excited to enjoy their winter break before woefully returning back to their horrid schooling days in order to wrap up the year. Perhaps the only students not looking forward to the future were the members of the Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad, who silently exited the school grounds with little words to share between them, their minds all heavy on the decision that laid ahead.

His night had been filled with cold air and thoughts wrapping around his mind like an awful game of Twister, intertwining and mocking him for his fear of the upcoming days. He can't stop thinking about Ryoji, who most likely spent his Christmas all alone. And his mind can't stop returning to that night ten years ago, comparing the cold eyed monster made of metal who had approached him to the surprisingly sweet, if not a little awkward, mechanical maiden he knew nowadays. They were the same person, yet when he remembered the harshness, the uncaring way she looked at him that night, and tried to imagine it coming from the girl who protected him so fiercely, it just made him shiver.

Everything about the coming future made him feel sick to his stomach.  
Why was it him?  
Why did he have to make such a choice?

He couldn't make a decision like that all by himself.  
That wasn't only his choice to make.  
The whole world laid in his hands, but their fate was the same no matter what he picked.

Growling a little, a guttural noise from his throat, he throws his blanket back over his head, and slips deep down further into the warmth of his bed. If there's anything he's been good at, it was escaping from things he didn't want to think about.

* * *

 _December 27th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

"Huh..?" Fuuka looks up in surprise as she sees a familiar figure walk past, though perhaps it was more correct to say she felt his presence. Juno's power was even greater than that of Lucia, and she sometimes felt as though it expanded to outside of the Dark Hour. "Junpei-kun?"

She calls out for him, and the taller junior turns on his heel, spotting the short girl rather quickly. He makes his way over to the place she sits, a small wooden bench by a flowerbed, blooming with violets of wide arrays of colour, from their namesake to the snowy white that surrounded their little home.

"Oh, hey, Fuuka." He greets, voice low and a little quiet, a stark contrast to the normally over-the-top, loudmouth that she knew.

"What are you doing here?"

"Nothing, really.." He mumbles, scratching his jawline a little, feeling the rustle of his goatee underneath his fingers. "I come here when I'm feeling down.."

Curious green eyes spot a book underneath his arm. "Is that Chidori's sketchbook..?"

"Hm?" He turns to the book, and nods his head. "Oh, yeah.. This was where I first met her.."

His eyes lower a little, and immediately she realises that she's said the wrong thing. A small silence covers the air between them, and quietly, the boy takes a seat beside her, fiddling with the pages of the sketchbook, perhaps searching for a distraction. Unsure of what to say, she plays with the hem of her shawl, trying to search for a new topic to bring up, until rather suddenly, Junpei speaks.

"What are you doing here, Fuuka?"

Relief washes over her, and she smiles lightly. "Oh, I went home for a bit. I've been going back there a lot lately."

"..I see." He smiles back at her, giving a small ruffle of the short teal locks. "You know, you've really changed, Fuuka. You're totally different from when you first came to the dorm."

"Really?" Her cheeks flush, embarrassed at the compliments leaving her teammate's lips.

"Yeah. You were so timid back then, but now you're so.. strong."

"You've changed too, Junpei-kun."

"Yukaricchi said the same thing." He leans back on the bench slightly, his gaze turning to the slightly overcast sky. "But I don't think so. I mean, the other day I got all freaked out about being scared.. I even lashed out at Minato. I'm one piece of work, aren't I.."

A weak laugh leaves his vocal chords, self-depreciating and filled with what she can only describe as contempt for oneself. It was such an ugly emotion, one she wished to never see come from her friend once more.

With a frown forming on her face, she shakes her head. "That's not true."

"But, I really was scared." A pause, and he lowers his hat. "Actually.. I'm still scared.. But, after thinking about it, I realised I don't want to lose my memory. If I forget everything, that means I'll forget Chidori, too. And I wouldn't even be alive right now if it wasn't for her, ya know?"

He grins, and with a confident tone, so resembling the one that used to fill his voice before the revelation that the world was to end, he gives her a quick little thumbs up, but it's all she needs to see to understand what he means.

"So I say fuck that."

"You're scared because you're not running away.." She points out, pretending to have not heard the swear that he used only seconds earlier. "That's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Fuuka.."

"That's why I want to protect everyone.. Think about it. The Dark Hour is really scary too, isn't it?" The pressure crushing their bodies, tiring them out of all their stamina the more they tried to function during it's reign, the way normal people turned to coffins, and the eldritch monsters that clawed their way around the surface realm. She was right, it really was scary. "But our Personas awakened, and we're here today.. The future _hasn't_ been decided yet.. And I want to be true to myself."

"True to yourself.." Impressed, he stares at the girl with an almost stunned expression. "Man.. You're really something, Fuuka.. We should fight."

"I agree."

* * *

 _December 28th, 2009._  
 _Daytime._

Everyone had come to their own conclusion. She could see it in their eyes, how they burned with a fire that refused to be put out by the possibility of dying without trying to fight back. It was like a new resolution that they all shared, one that tied their fates together by the chains of the bonds they had forged over the past year. If this revelation had come earlier in the year, she doubted any of them would be as mentally prepared as they were now.

She decides that it's time.

Not long after the clock passed eleven, she made her way up to the second floor, bare feet tapping softly against the carpeted hallway, leading her all the way down to the very last door on that floor, where she stands outside it taking deep breathes in and out, preparing herself for the potential fight she's about to get into with her brother. She's going to tell him what everyone wants.. and it's possible he wont take their mutual decisions very lightly. Becoming more of a hermit than usual, barely eating, barely talking.. they were all signs that he wasn't taking this well, and it meant she had to tread lightly with how she spoke.

Finally, after standing there for what felt like an eternity, she pushed open the door to her brother's room.

His room was the same as it had been everywhere they lived, plain and bare of any personality. He believed there was little point in becoming comfortable and decorating if they were only going to be leaving after a little while, and that mindset she could only understand while they lived with various families across the nation. Now, they were in one place, and it was the one place they were staying. Yet no matter what, he would never make his room feel like a space where he would belong.

It felt bland, like a hotel room, lacking any knowledge of who lived there.

At first, she believes he's not in the room, until she spots a lump in the sheets of his bed, and she soon understands where he is. Taking cautious steps over to the blue bedding, she pulls the sheets off over his face. He groans at her, covering his eyes from the natural light with his forearm, and tried to curl up into a small ball, searching for the warmth he had just lost.

"Get up, sleepyhead!" She calls, shaking his shoulders with a wide smile on her face. "We have to talk!"

Her tone is playful, perhaps to trick him into a false sense of security, make him believe that what she wanted to talk about had nothing to do with Ryoji's ominous warning about Nyx, and the choice that haunted their upcoming days. Despite the cheerful attitude she exudes, he growls at her to leave him alone, which only serves to let her form a frown tight on her rosy lips.

A sigh leaves her lips. "Hey, Minato.. We need to talk. I know you don't want to, but we have to."

The second that tone of childish fun leaves and is replaced by an all too strange seriousness, he pushes himself up off the mattress, sapphire-irises meeting his sister's ruby ones, analysing them for any sign of the dependent little sister that he knew, only to meet with a girl who was determined beyond his belief, unwilling to back down from what she saw as a challenge. His lips purse tight together, and he rests into a relaxed sitting position.

"..I know what this is about.." He begins, his voice harsh and hoarse, probably thanks to the lack of anything he's had today. She doesn't sit down, instead, she simply closed the door behind her and continued to look at him with eyes filled with resolve.

"Do you?"

A flinch. He wasn't expecting that. "..You think I haven't noticed everyone around me..?"

"Have you made a decision?" She asks, and he shakes his head slowly, almost frightened to do so. A sigh fills the air, and she crosses her arms. "We've all decided, even if it's not our choice to make. None of us want to forget. Whether that means fighting that Nyx thing, and dying saving the world, then so be it. Everyone wants to give it a try."

She pauses, and he can almost hear the cogs in his head turning in response.

"We're not going to die, though.. We're all going to live." Her steps forward are fast, faster than he thought they would be, and she clutches his cheeks between her thin hands. "But to do that, we need to fight. That's why, Minato–– _no_.. Big Bro.. won't you fight along side us all?"

His muscles freeze as she calls him the thing he hasn't heard in such a long time, the term of endearment she stopped using the older they got, the more they became scared of connecting to other people in fear of loss. That extended to each other, words used to be affectionate disappearing in exchange for their names, to escape from the attachment they feared. Yet here she was, using it in such a soft, weak voice, begging him desperately.

Had she decided that attachment was no longer something to be afraid of?

"I.."

Her lips quiver, and she lets go of his face, taking a seat on the bed beside him. "We're all waiting on you. We may have all decided what we want to do, but in the end.. it isn't our decision. Ryoji gave _you_ the power of choice, and all we're able to do is influence it a little."

"I.. don't know why they chose me." He murmurs, pulling his knees up under his chin. "Why did Aigis choose me? If she was able to use a Persona.. wouldn't she have been a better vessel for the Thirteenth Arcana? And yet.. she chose the injured little boy on that bridge."

She chose _you_ because she knew you could handle it." Kotone insists, her hands tightening together. "I'm sure she knew how strong you were.. that you could take whatever someone did and dish it back out two-fold."

"Can I handle it!?" His voice raises, and she visibly flinches in response. "I-I.. I hate having this power.. What's the point of me having it if I can't do anything with it!? If I can't protect anyone!? Aragaki, Kirijo's father, that Chidori girl, and now the whole world! Why am I so useless!?"

It doesn't take her long to respond back to his yells, and he can't react in time to stop what she does. Her hand slams against his cheek, so similar in the way she had done so to Takeba that it surprises him, and he feels his cheek stinging red from pain. His blue eyes look up at his sister, and he's surprised to see the tears trailing down her own rosy cheeks.

"Stupid! Stupid, stupid, _stupid_!" She cries, falling to her knees in front of him. "You're _**not** _ useless! Neither of us are! We have an entire team of people relying on us, who in turn we can rely on! And you're the only reason why we get this choice in the first place! If it wasn't for you.. we wouldn't be able to fight! That's why you have to fight by our side too!"

She takes a deep, shaky breath, her entire body quaking with the emotions that have been piling up. Finally, she sees it from the outside view. She's not useless, Minato isn't useless. They just have their own different purposes, and they haven't been able to see them until now.

"If you want to protect everyone so much, then you'll fight! And do you really think Aragaki-senpai would appreciate you sulking around over what happened!? You heard Aragaki-senpai, didn't you?! He said that ' _this is how it should be_ ', and that he didn't want you to cry! I'm surprised he hasn't come down to punch you in the face yet! And on the other two, do you really think that Kirijo-san would appreciate it!? Or Chidori, who died protecting the one she loved!? If you want to protect us all, to respect the causes they lost their lives for, then you'll join us in the fight!"

Each word she says is like a dagger in his heart. A truthful, truthful dagger. She was completely right, none of those people he bought up would appreciate his words. He was only hiding, hiding from the fact that he was scared of death. He could act like it didn't bother him at all, but it really did. He had become terrified of the idea thanks to SEES, the idea of never being able to enjoy their antics and see their smiles again haunting him.

Wiping away the tears that had formed in his own eyes, he nods. "Okay.. Kotone. You're right.. I need to stop hiding away.."

Sniffling a little, using his sleeves to remove the stains of tears against his own cheeks, he stares his sister dead in the eyes, noting how the whites around her irises were as redder than ever, and he had little doubts in his mind that his own eyes were the same.

"We'll fight."

She throws her arms around him, sobbing thank yous into his shoulder. He had already resolved a long time ago to stop running away from the bonds he had forged, but that old habit hadn't left his side until now. What he had needed was a wake up call, just like this one. They were going to fight against Nyx, and they were going to return home, alive.  
No matter what it costed.

* * *

 _December 30th, 2009._  
 _Evening._

Yukari had stopped by in the morning to inform her that Aigis was returning to the dormitory, and that they were all meeting up in the lounge room to welcome her back. With that in mind, Kotone had quickly made her way downstairs into the living area, taking her usual seat on the couch with Amada-kun and Sanada-senpai, watching as Mitsuru helped Aigis back into the dorm. Once the blonde had entered the lounge, everyone got off their chairs and crowded around her, talking loudly at the robotic girl.

"I'm back, everyone." She bows her head low. "Sorry to have worried you all."

"Man, I'm glad to see you. I was getting nervous." Junpei says with a grin, and Fuuka quickly nods her head in agreement.

"Me too. I was fearing the worst.."

"I'm a machine, so I can always be rebuilt." Aigis quickly points out, her tone surprisingly robotic when compared to that night. "Even if I was completely destroyed, the programming data necessary to rebuild me would still exist.."

Yukari frowns. "Hey, don't talk about yourself like that."

Crossing her arms over her chest, Kirijo speaks up. "They said another week would be required for a complete recovery, but I had the process expedited. After all.. Tomorrow is New Year's Eve."

"I'm sorry for all the trouble I've caused.." Another ninety-degree bow, though this time, the mechanical maiden's voice carried a certain human edge to it, resembling the quiver that she had on that night. "Mitsuru-san visited me at the lab and told me everything.. That must have been difficult for you all to hear."

Her ocean-blue gaze turns to Minato, who stands in silence a little further behind the others.

"Minato-san... Have you been well..?" She pauses, and looks away. "I mean, considering the circumstances.."

He simply smiles. "Welcome back."

"I've.. come back, but.." She turns to the twins, her gaze low. "Ten years ago, I... What I did to you was.."

"It was the only way." The words feel foreign out of his mouth, but after the conversation he had with his sister, and the two days he's had to truly think about it properly, he's decided that underneath the circumstances that Aigis was in, it truly was the only thing she had been able to do.

"But.. If I hadn't done that to you, you wouldn't be suffering like this.." The robot took a deep breath, despite her having no lungs to inhale air, and she began to speak with a much more controlled timbre. "..Minato-san.. Ryoji had presented you with a difficult choice.. Have you made your decision?"

"Yes, I have."

"..I have a favour to ask of you." He raises his eyebrow, and her face becomes incredibly serious. "Tomorrow, when Ryoji comes, please.. Please kill him..! I can't bare to see everyone hurting like this! Please choose to have your memories erased..! Even if.. Even if it means forgetting everything.. and everyone.."

A splutter from the archer is the only response needed. "A-Aigis, what are you talking about?!"

"Yeah, this isn't like you." The baseball loving teen agrees with his shorter friend.

She doesn't respond, and everyone shared looks of worry.

"What's wrong, Aigis?" The redhead asks, turning a stern eye to the blonde girl.

"Why..?" She murmurs, her mechanical joints shaking. "Why did I come back here? My mission is to protect humanity from Shadows. But now, I _**know**_ that I cannot defeat them! So then.. why am I here? I'm useless! I cannot even shed a tear for you all..!"

"Oh, Aigis.."

"Why fight, when you know you cannot win!?" Her voice raises, the robotic tone to it crackling. "What is the purpose of that!? Why are you wasting your lives!?"

"Because we have to try!" Minato yells back, and the mechanical girl steps back.

Akihiko agrees, nodding his head solemnly. "Yeah, he's right. We have no intentions of wasting our lives. That's why we want to see what's waiting for us up ahead.. Right, Amada? Kotone?"

"Right."

"Yeah!"

As the two dark haired members agree with their senior, the robot shakes her head in confusion, clutching the sleeves of her school uniform tighter and tighter with every emotion that her heart tries to comprehend.

"I.. I don't understand." A sigh leaves her lips. "It must be because I don't possess a 'life'.."

A laugh leaves Junpei's vocal chords. "This has nothing to do with having a life."

"I'm a machine, a machine that was created to protect humans from Shadows. But, I can't fulfil that mission with the powers I was given.. So then, what is my purpose now?" She turns her blue-gaze onto the group, desperate for an answer. "Could someone please tell me?"

"We don't know the answer, Aigis.." The navy wearing teen points out, earning a nod from their leader. "The only one who can tell you what your purpose is, is you. That's why we're having such a hard time making our decision. There's just no easy answer. But as long as we're alive, we have to do something.. When we see others hurting, we want to help them. So _**that's** _ our purpose."

The boy laughs.

"I'm not too good at explaining it, but.. that's what we all think."

"Can finding one's purpose really be so simple..?" Another question from the robot, one with no easy answer. A look crosses each member's face, and the first one who decides to speak up in response is Fuuka.

"When I saw you collapse, I realised something.. I want to protect you.. I don't want to forget about you."

"Fuuka-san.."

A nod from Kirijo only confirms the short girl's feelings. "There are times when you will lose sight of your goal, and you will have to search for it. But if you can't find it again, then you must set your heart on a new goal. I'm not really one to talk.. but I feel that I've come to understand something important this year. To truly live, you will need to make changes sometimes."

"Do you think I can do that? Do you think I can change?"

"Yes. I mean, you've changed so much already." A small chuckle. "Haven't you noticed? In fact, you're changing even as we speak."

A silence fills the air as the blonde girl tries to think about everything she's heard today, processing all the information that her teammates have provided with a slow, but thorough eye. Once she seems to have come up with an answer, she parts her mouth, ready to give them all what she thought.

"I know what my purpose is.. I am a machine, a machine who is here to 'live'." With a smile from the twins, from the boy who she had felt so much guilt over cursing with this life, she continues. "And the one who has given me this new purpose is.. me. This is the promise I've made to myself. I don't know how I'll do it.. but I guess that is a part of living, too."

Shoving his bangs back a little, Minato gives her a simple nod. "That's for you to decide."

She smiles back. "..Yes."

 _ **The resolution in Aigis' heart has awakened a new Persona..**_  
 _ **Palladion has given rise to Athena!**_

"Will you allow me to join with you all?"

Kotone giggles, and wraps her arms around the taller girl. "You're already a part of us!"

"..Thank you! I will be with you all.. no matter what happens!"

"That's the spirit!"

With a round of laughter resounding across the room from them all, they aim for the future. It's a shaky, bet for a future, but it's a future that they're going to fight for no matter what. Whether or not the world was going to end in ruin, whether or not they won.. What mattered was that they tried.

* * *

AND WITH THAT, WE HEAD OFF TO NEW YEARS!  
This chapter hurt a lot, but we had the twins confronting each other  
and kotone giving her big bro a piece of her mind!  
from now on, she'll be a lot more open with how she calls her family 'big bro, mama and papa' ect!

so then!  
writingsoul- UWAA i know i love the christmas date!  
it and another scene we'll get up to soon are literally.. the sweetest things on planet earth  
grim- exactly! the sort of happiness in between things is a good thing!  
i hope the angst was enough for u, lol, i got depression from writing the twins' scene

ANWAY I HOPE Y'ALL LIKED IT I'LL SEE YA NEXT CHAPTER


	60. new years (chapter 59)

ONTO NEW YEARS!

* * *

 _December 31st, 2009._  
 _Early Morning._

She'd woken up at four am, to the feeling of dread in her pit at the fated day's arrival. Tonight, they were going to see Ryoji once more, and tell him how they all wanted to fight Nyx, instead of kill him and forget everything about their lives this past year. It was particularly chilly from the moment she awoke, to the moment she stepped barefoot out of bed. Like a frozen bite, reminding her of every choice they'd all made up to this moment, and the choices they were making after it.

Slipping socks on, she quietly pulls her door open, trying her best to not awaken the other girls, all sleeping in what she hopes is peace until they rise and realise what today is. Her footsteps are muted, barely putting pressure on the wooden floors below the carpet, desperate for there to not be a single squeaking noise as she stepped town two flights of stairs, her fingers trailing against the rails in an almost absentminded fashion.

To her surprise, when she finds herself on the first floor of the dormitory, she spots not an empty room, but Akihiko and Minato, both quietly acknowledging the other's presence, yet both a little too tired to begin initiating a conversation. The two turn tired eyes onto her descending form, and her brother flicks a small wave of his hand, the other residing on top of the warmth of Koromaru's fur covered body.

"..Good morning.." She murmurs, taking small steps towards the lounges where the two men sat. "Why are you two down here?"

"On coincidence." The blue haired teen responds, his free hand reaching to scratch at his head. "..I could barely sleep."

The senior nods his head. "It feels like I'm stepping into the ring.. I couldn't calm down."

A small sigh leaves her lips, and she smiles weakly at the pair. It doesn't take her too long, and she begins to make her way over to the dormitory's kitchen, pulling the door to it open and flicking on the light, squinting a little as the unnatural glow fills her eyes, weak from the dark of night, and the sleep she had just pulled herself out of. Voice soft, and barely audible if there had been the ring of daytime's noise, she calls out to the two.

"Can you go wake the others? I wanted.. to make a nice breakfast."

"What are you talking about?" A teasing voice resounds, and she peers out the small window separating the kitchen from the dining area, only to spot the rest of the group wandering down the staircase. Clad in pyjamas, sleep still around their eyes, yet smiles galore. Earlier this month, they would've never been this happy– this cheerful when it came to the idea of facing this fated day, but now, they were all fine, and ready to face forward. "There's no need to get us when you woke us all up!"

Yukari is the one to talk, her pretty face lit up by such a sweet smile. With the small laughs that resound across the otherwise empty floor, embarrassment begins to pour into the auburn haired girl pouts.

Puffing out her cheek, far too tired to handle this embarrassment, Kotone huffs. "Don't bully me! Or else you wont be getting any pancakes!"

* * *

 _December 31st, 2009._  
 _Evening._

The entrance slips open quietly, all too befitting of the silence that overcomes the living area as the hours ticked closer and closer to midnight. Minato had spent them fiddling with his fingers, acutely aware of every line in his skin, every crease, every print. They had all been rather confident earlier, but as the final hour descends upon them, the more he feels sick about the choice he has to make. Yet he is not provided with the time for brooding about his final decision, as in pokes a head of dark hair, a smile that felt almost fake, and the observing blue eyes of Mochizuki Ryoji–– Death in human form.

"Hey, long time no see.." He greets, stepping into the lounge without the need to be allowed into the house. "Midnight's just around the corner.. At midnight, I will change from this form into something unrecognisable. So, have you reached a decision?"

Nobody responds to his words, their gazes on Minato. Getting the picture, Ryoji simply smiles back at them all, and begins to head for the stairs.

"Okay, I'll be waiting in his room until midnight. Come see me when you have your answer."

Fuuka sighs. "Ryoji-kun.."

"Oh, and one more thing." He turns back, ringed-irises almost giving off an air of danger as he stared them all down. "Don't let the fact that you'll have to kill me influence your decision. As I said before, I'm going to disappear anyways. I won't feel any pain by 'dying'. So, there's no need to worry about me."

Junpei takes a deep breath at his friend's words, clearly uncomfortable by the almost destructive, and even suicidal, way that the dark haired boy talked about himself.

"I'll be waiting.."

Finally, the Appriser leaves the room, the soles of his shoes clicking against the wooden steps as he made his way up to the second floor, everyone paying attention to the sound until it could no longer be heard. Once that happened, everyone turned their eyes back to the middle, ready to make the final decisions, with the final discussion about this topic.

Mitsuru begins, turning towards Minato. "Have you made your decision?"

"Yes." He nods his head slowly, answering without an inch of doubt. He'd hate to feel scared now, not after he's realised what he needs to do. He needs to move on, and the first step is being able to confirm a future.

"..I see." She exhales, and turns to the others. "Have the rest of you made your decision?"

"No need to ask me." Akihiko states, plain and simple.

"I'm on the same page." His sister agrees quickly, and the redhead's gaze continues to follow the rest of the group, expecting their answers.

"You know how I feel." Yukari nods.

Junpei leans back on the back of the sofa, his voice keeping an even timbre. "I wouldn't be here if I wasn't on board."

"I'm with the rest of you." Yamagishi clutches her hands together.

"I'm in, too."

Koromaru barks from his place by the television, agreeing with Ken's words before him.

"I have made my decision as well."

The decision has reached around the entire circle, and finally they all know that this page of the discussion is over. Nine pairs of eyes turn onto their leader, his blue eyes filled with a determination and a readiness to give the answer to the messenger.

"Then, we're all in agreement, yes?" A quick nod of confirmation from each member doubles the confidence.

Giving a small shove on the shoulders, Sanada looks at Minato expectantly. "Better let him know, then.."

Once more, his head bounces in response, his muscles almost tired of pulling off that motion as he stands up from the chair and swerved his way around eight pairs of humanoid legs and four little paws, and he heads up the stairs for his room, ready to face the friend who lived inside him for ten years.

* * *

Standing in the corner of his room is the expectant visitor, Minato turns an almost confused eye as he closes the door behind him as he enters, sitting down on his neatly made bed and stares the other in the eyes, the exchange of greetings between the two short and yet, somehow casual. Like few words needed to be exchanged between the two, for they already knew what the other was to say.

Smiling gently, a smile all too reminiscent of his own, Ryoji turns and looks around the room. "It's been a long time since we talked like this in your room.. Although back then, I didn't appear in this form, and wasn't known by this name."

"You're still the same Pharos I spoke to."

A small laugh, but soon, the other's face lowers into a sadness. "Don't.. Don't tell me you've all decided to let me live.."

"We have."

"You're all going to risk your lives on a battle you can't win." He knows. They all already know that, and they didn't need to be told that by the Thirteenth Arcana, the one who would bring them all to the fight. As the blue haired teen nods his head slowly, the other bites his own lip. "But, you're the only one here right now, so.. I'll say this one more time."

A deep breath.

"If you kill me, Tartarus, the Dark Hour, and your memories of the battles will all disappear. Tomorrow, you'll wake up a normal high-school student. You'll be able to live in peace until the moment of the Fall." Minato's fingernails dig into his own skin. He already knows this, and he doesn't care anymore. Perhaps if it had been a few days ago, where he hadn't been slapped in the face (literally) by his little sister into waking up from his own little world, but now.. Now, he knows he has to fight.

"But if you let me live, you'll spend every waking moment until that day in fear of your inevitable death. Nyx cannot be defeated.. It's useless to fight her."

Lips pursed tight, the blue haired boy sighs. "We all know. But it's useless if we don't try."

"..Then, you've already made up your mind?"

"Ryoji.. I'm sure you already know what I'm going to say.." Tightening his hands together, he looks up at the other boy, at the Shadow masquerading as a human, and he shakes his head slowly. "I'm not going to kill you."

Face falling, despair overwhelmingly overflowing, the black haired teen quivers with thought, utterly destroyed by the words, the choice, that his friend has made. He didn't want this. He wanted them all to live peacefully until the end came, he wanted them all to forget the battling and destruction that they've faced over the entire year. And yet..

"I guess my words didn't change your mind.. But, there's still some time until midnight." Stepping forward slowly, the full moon's light shining on his back, he stares dead at the other. "I didn't want to show you this.. but I have no choice."

A shimmering, glimmering light of blue surrounds Ryoji, and his figure changes from that of a fairly tall, but regular teenage boy, to that of a monster. Clutching his sword tight in one hand, surrounded by a long, ragged black coat. His hideous face is contorted into a perpetual screech, and his voice becomes distorted and like that of an echo.

"See..? I'm not human. I will bring death to this world until I am finally satiated." Despite the lack of change in the expression, Ryoji's voice becomes a struggle of sadness, a plea of desperation like no other. "Do not hesitate to kill me. Please, think about this carefully.. Is facing Nyx really the best decision? Some things in this world cannot be changed. You do not understand this yet. Memories are ambiguous.. Old ones can be replaced with new ones, creating a new reality. Don't you want to end all your friends', your _little sister's_ , pain and suffering? It's all up to you. _**You're** _ the only one who can make this decision."

A sigh.

"Now, this is your last chance. Tell me your answer.."

Smiling, a light and small expression, yet a smile nonetheless, he answers. "Is it really impossible to defeat her? We won't know unless we try it, which is exactly what we're all going to do. And my memories.. my memories have made me who I am today. Losing them and replacing them with fakes, I wouldn't really be living as 'me' if I did that. That's why.. I wont kill you."

The other exhales, and his body twists in light once more, until he returns to his humanoid state. "..I understand. It's regrettable, but it's your life.. You can do what you want with it. I will respect your decision."

"Thank you, Ryoji."

Eyebrows furrow together at those words. "..Let's go back to the lounge. I need to tell you guys how to confront Nyx."

* * *

The living area was entirely silent for the entire time that the pair were upstairs, nothing but the brooding of thoughts between them all. Kotone's hands are clutched tight together, almost in a prayer like motion, small shoulders shivering with an anxiety like none she's felt before. She only relaxes, even then it's only by a slight, when she feels a familiar gloved hand against her back, stroking it comfortably in a relaxing motion. Breathing out a small sigh, inhaling a relaxed breath, she leans into her senpai's arm and touch, allowing herself to pray for her brother to make the right decision without becoming a worried mess.

Once the two boys descend the staircase together, her eyes light up, and everyone pulls themselves off the sofas, rushing towards the pair with nothing but relief in their voices, crowding around the two a resounding solace in the fact that their somewhat emotional leader had made the correct choice.

Raising a hand, Junpei quickly greets the two, but more specifically, Ryoji. "Yo! What's up, Ryoji?"

The greeted only sighs. "It's an unfortunate decision.. but it's yours to make."

"That's right." Yukari confirms, and it only serves to let the other's gaze fall more.

"But you cannot defeat Nyx.. It's impossible."

Mitsuru folds her arms. "But we must still try."

"Personally, I don't care if it is impossible." Akihiko states, smiling the whole time.

"M-Me neither. We still want to give it our all." Kotone agrees quickly with her two seniors, who turn to her with agreeing nods and smiles of reassurance.

Ryoji sighs slowly, and a smile soon forms on his lips. "Okay.. I understand. But, it's almost midnight, so I'll keep this brief. I'll tell you where to find Nyx. You'll find her.. at the top of Tartarus. On the promised day, you must journey to the top of the tower."

The archer raises an eyebrow. "When's the promised day?"

"Exactly one month from tomorrow.. January 31st, 2010. Nyx will descend to Tartarus.. and the world will end."

"One month.." Slowly repeating it is Junpei, as though he's trying to make it truly sink into his head.

"Tartarus is a gigantic rift in the night sky.. It's a beacon to guide Nyx. With the Appriser's coming, Nyx learns that the way has been prepared, and descends there.. And thus, the demise will come.."

Crossing his arms tight, a light of realisation flashes in Sanada's eyes. "So that's why it's called the Tower of Demise.. But what you're saying is, we can fight Nyx if we reach the top?"

"That's right.." Confirming those words, everyone makes a mental note. "But remember.. From today, you will fight against eternal despair. Like I've said so many times before, Nyx cannot be defeated. When you face her, you will finally understand this truth. And then, you will realise what it is you are trying to stand against."

"..We understand. There's no need to keep telling us." Mitsuru points out, and everyone quickly agrees. "January 31st.. We won't forget that date."

Finally, the discussion of the battle ahead is over, and everyone slows down to a stop, mulling over the things that have been presented to them. A definitive date, and a counter for preparation. They need to get as strong as they can during the month that they've been provided with, they need to be as ready as they possible can be. A month is a short time.. but if they train and train until they can't anymore, then they might be able to pull it off.

"Well, I'll be going on ahead of you, then." Approaching the entrance, Ryoji prepares to leave. "I want to leave you while I'm still in this form."

"Ryoji-kun.."

"Aigis.." The robotic girl looks up, gaze on the boy expectantly. "I'm sorry for all the pain and suffering I put you through."

Her voice soft, she responds back. "I won't forget that you were my enemy.. and my friend."

"Aigis.."

"Thank you." He reaches for the door, and that's when they all finally notice how his body quakes with sadness, and his voice shivers and breaks from holding back tears that should be flowing. Instead, he only smiles. "This will probably be the last time I see you all like this. But.. I'll always be watching over you. Well then, goodbye."

As he opens and steps out the door, he quickly stuck his head back through.

"Best wishes in the coming year! That's what you say on New Year's Eve, right? See ya!"

He finally leaves them all, and a small laugh resounds from the group at the words he said. It was almost like a distraction from what he's said only moments before, to keep them from being sad over the fact that Ryoji was inevitably going to die, at least in the way that they knew him. They all knew this, but decided to not bring it up. It was clear he wanted them to remember him as a cheerful prankster, not as a monster. As their decision has become the ultimate definition of the bond they had all forged, they prepare to fight for the top of Tartarus, and for their futures.

* * *

 _January 1st, 2010._  
 _Early Morning._

"Helloooo?" The loud, yet ridiculously cheerful voice of Yukari awakens her from her rather deep sleep, peaceful now that the decision has been made and their minds set on a goal. "Are you up?!"

Weakly, she calls out a small ' _now I am!_ ' and the other girl opens the door, positively grinning ear to ear. Quickly, Kotone pulls herself out from underneath her blankets warm sheets, her body begging for her to return into the depths of warmth that her bed provided, and she pulls herself off onto the carpeted floor.

"Morning!" The other pauses, and curses under her breath. "Oh wait, I mean.. Happy New Years! So, we're all heading to the shrine, wanna come with us? Mitsuru-senpai prepared _kimonos_ for us."

Excitement lights up in her rosy coloured eyes. "Ooh, let's go!"

"Then let's go get dressed!" A giggle leaves the brunette's lips. "C'mon, the _kimonos_ are in my room!"

The two girls take off down the hallway, one still in her pyjamas, and quickly entire the slightly shorter one's room, where the other girls all waited for them expectantly. Not only was there the usual female members of SEES, but also there stood Saikawa-san from the festival in summer, who greeted them with a small, yet incredibly polite bow, before she returned to working on putting Aigis' _kimono_ on.

* * *

Putting leftover dinner into Koromaru's bowl, Akihiko looks up to the staircase as he hears a small set of feet descend down, meeting eyes with Ken, who smiles kindly and waves at the taller man.

"Good morning." Surprise fills his eyes at he realises that he's missed something, and he quickly bows. "Oh, um.. Happy New Years, Senpai!"

A smile forms on the silver haired man's lips. "Happy New Years to you too."

"Yeah." A small laugh leaves the little boy as he kneels down to greet the albino shiba. "Happy New Years to you too, Koromaru."

Pausing briefly from his breakfast, Koromaru looks up and barks happily at the brunet boy, but his ears twitch as another pair of feet come down the staircase, only this time, it's Junpei and Minato, both yawning with varying degrees of politeness in covering up their sleepiness.

"Oh man.. I completely overslept!" The taller of the two whines. "Why'd I let you rope me into staying up all night to watch that stupid movie..?"

"You liked that movie." The smaller huffs, and the one with the buzzcut turns to the other two male members.

"Did you guys see it?" He asks, a grin on his face. "It had these giant Amazon women running around in a jungle.."

A scoff from the eldest. "Why would I watch that?"

The two younger boys shrug in response, briefly wondering amongst themselves as to why _they_ watched it in the first place. It really hadn't been that interesting of a movie, and the only thing that had really kept the baseball lover's attention was the attractive, busty women that the cast mainly consisted of. And that certainly hadn't been enough for Minato to continue watching, and he kept nodding off to sleep every five minutes, only to be woken up by an angry Junpei, who didn't want to watch the rest all by himself.

"Um.." Ken almost completely ignores the two second-year boys, and instead turns a curious gaze, and questioning words back onto them. "Is anyone gonna visit the shrine?"

"No. I don't believe in superstitions." Akihiko states it very plainly, his hand reaching for a mug of dark coffee that he'd prepared himself.

"Me either.." Another yawn.

A shake of the head from their leader. "Too sleepy.."

"Oh, that's too bad." The little boy sighs, but a small smile crawls onto his face. "Takeba-san and the others are already there. They were all wearing _kimonos_."

A brief silence amongst the boys allows that to sink in, along with a helpful repeat from Junpei, who becomes increasingly more excited at the prospect with every second ticking past. It doesn't take him very long, but soon, a big smile forms on his face.

" _Kimonos_ , huh..?" He giggles a little. "Uh, I'm gonna head to the store.."

The boy makes a break for the doorway, but is quickly taken hold of by Akihiko, who sternly holds him in one place with a single, gloved hand, the other still holding tight to his coffee mug.

"Hold it right there, Junpei."

"..Uh, what?"

To his surprise, the senior smiles. "You're going to the shrine, aren't you?"

"N-No, I'm not.." He stutters, completely breaking the ability to believe anything and everything that leaves his mouth. "I'm just going for a walk.."

"..Oh yeah?" Putting his mug down, the senior shrugs. "Well, I'm going with you, then. I'm bored."

"Oh, I'll go too!"

Minato yawns once more, but the grin on his face showed what he felt. "I'll come too."

"Alright then, let's go." Junpei feels a shiver crawl down his spine as he speaks, like he wasn't able to quite place his finger on the feeling that had caused this whole mess in the first place. He had a feeling it was just to mess with him, but there could have been the jealousy of him being the only one that got to see the girls in pretty _kimonos_ that also fuelled it. He was almost afraid to ask.

"..Anyone know where it is?"

Ken pauses, turning to the senior who had asked. "Yeah, the girls told me where they were going."

"Sweet!"

Pumping a fist into the air, Junpei takes off before the others, who follow behind him with varying degrees of cheer in their steps, though compared to their overly excited friend, they were all rather relaxed, following the little boy to their location.

* * *

The Naganaki Shrine was utterly filled to the brim with people visiting for the New Years, old and young alike. Little stalls were set up just like how they had been for the summer festival, though there was fewer to accommodate for the larger crowd. Decorated in a deep red _kimono_ with a cherry blossom pattern was Yukari, who fiddled with the large _hana kanzashi_ that decorated her hair, the bundle of paper pink blossoms and fluttering purple wisteria of the ornament being almost a distraction, despite it's beauty.

"Have you decided what to wish for?" She asks Kotone, who turns to her with a small smile.

Her thin frame is clad in a coral pink _kimono_ , gradient fading into the colour of leaves underneath the pattern of various flowers that decorated the fabric, though the most prominent were primroses and peach blossoms. A few reddish daisies also complimented the pretty garment, and it was all being held together by a dark _obi_ , almost a blackish purple in colour, though also decorated with floral patterns, finished with a green decorative braided rope.

Her auburn curls were pulled back into their usual ponytail, through it was now decorated by a similar _hana kanzashi_ to the one her friend made, though hers was decorated by a bundle of pastel pink and white, the wisteria petal-like streamers coloured in the same soft shades of pastel. Gone were her usual hairpins, replaced by this one, beautiful ornament.

A small giggle leaves her lips. "That this year is great."

Fuuka chuckles and nods her head in placid agreement. "Me too. Let's pray for that from the bottom of our hearts."

The smallest of the girls was dressed in the same expensive, beautiful looking _kimono_ as the other two, though compared to the warm colours that her two friends wore, her's was dyed a gentle shade of sky blue, the only pink on her being the rose patterns that were elegantly etched into the fabric, and the _kanzashi_ that decorated her short hair, like her two friends.

The three quickly line up together, ringing the bell and clapping their hands together, praying for their wishes to come true. Once they had finished making their wishes, they moved out of the way, and returned to where Aigis and Mitsuru stood waiting, clad in their own beautiful clothes.

Hands tucked into the sleeves of her garments, the redheaded senior chuckles softly. "There's nothing to worry about. I have the utmost certainty that we can do this."

Unlike the other girls, who wore vibrant colours, the eldest girl was dressed in black, lavender and white plum blossoms and lilies decorating her fabric as the touch of colour that she needed, though the fabric made a gradient into a deep pinkish purple down by the ends. Her deeply coloured hair was pulled back into a high ponytail, decorated with her own hair ornament, a black bow with a lavender rose.

"..Yeah." Yukari nods in agreement to her senpai.

Almost out of the blue, Fuuka, who had been looking around, speaks up. "Oh, it's Junpei-kun and the others."

The four other girls turn their gazes to the entrance of the shrine, where they saw the four boys, and a dog, climb up the stairs and through the shrine's gate, looking around once they reached the top, obviously looking for the five girls. Deciding to meet up with them, the five run over as fast as they can, which isn't very fast with the restrictiveness that their garments provided.

The boys notice, and meet them half way, which earns a wave from Takeba. "Happy New Year! Let's all do our very best this year! But, man, you guys are late."

Clutching his hands in prayer, Junpei stares Yukari dead on. "Y-Yukaricchi.."

"W-What?" Her cheeks flush under his gaze.

"Happy New Year!" Mitsuru also greets them, though she raises a somewhat worried eyebrow as Junpei's gaze turns on her, his face only reddening at the sight of their beautiful senpai. "Hm? What's the matter, Iori?"

"Kirijo-senpai.." The boy begins, and she swears she can see hearts above his head. "You look hot.. Uh, I, um.. I mean.."

"S-Stop staring at me.."

Yamagishi smiles sweetly, bowing her head at the boys, which Minato responds back with his own little bow. "Happy New Years, everyone. I've never worn a _kimono_ before.. Um, does my _obi_ look okay?"

"Fuuka.. You look.. Wow!"

"G-Geez.."

Aigis tugs on the sleeves of her pastel pink kimono quietly, observing the patterns of white daisies printed into it as she begins to murmur her observations to the rest of the group. "This traditional clothing is quite interesting. However, it's quite difficult to move in.."

"A-Ai-chan.." The blonde turns her gaze to Junpei, who continues to fawn over the girls. "Considering what you usually wear, that looks even more amazing on you!"

She smiles. "I-Is that so..? ..What is this odd sensation I feel..?"

"B-But man, I gotta say.." He turns to Kotone, observing her up and down, his ears dying red the longer he stares, a trait which she also begins to display. "Um.. You look pretty cute yourself, Kocchan.."

Her face begins to turn bright red at his compliments, her small hands fiddling with the sleeves as she mumbles her thank yous, barely able to communicate them out under stutters, even more embarrassed then usual thanks to how formal the clothing she wore was. It was almost more embarrassing than the beach and her swimsuit, where she was worried and shy thanks to her burn scar.

"T-Thank you.."

Soon, her gaze moves from her fawning friend, to her brother, who gives her a small smile and a thumbs up of approval, to her boyfriend, who stares with an almost starstruck expression, eyes wide and cheeks tingling with the sensation of blushing. Slowly, his lips part, and her name falls from them.

"Kotone.." He stutters a little, realising she's now looking at him, and their embarrassment only grows. The stares of the other members on them only cause him to huff, and turn a frown. "I-It's nothing!"

She giggles a little, and he hums out his bashful response.

Ah.. I'm so glad I came.. New Year's kicks ass! Yah!" Fist pumping the cold air once more, Aigis turns a concerned eye onto the taller junior.

"Junpei-san, why are you acting so strange?"

"Man, we got to see some great stuff today. Right, Sanada-senpai? Minato?"

Scratching his cheek a little, he looks away. "Uh.. I-I guess so."

"I think it was worth it." The blue haired boy agrees, though Junpei has a feeling he's agreeing for reasons that weren't ' _I saw pretty girls in pretty clothes_ ', rather they were probably more like ' _I got to watch my best friend make an idiot out of himself in front of pretty girls_ '.

Ken looks up at the four human girls, worried words leaving his vocals. "Hey, aren't you guys cold?"

"A little, but I _**love** _ this time of year.." Yukari sighs romantically, but Ken only frowns a little.

"Um, that's not what I meant.." The little boy murmurs, and the girls all turn to him with a curiosity to what he means. "Iori-san said that you guys aren't wearing anything underneath your _kimonos_.."

"He said _**what**_!?"

Junpei practically screeches, and the girls all turn glares onto the tall second-year.

"Wow, you've really taken Amada-kun under your wing, huh?" Yukari asks, her voice an angry hiss as she steps closer and closer to the taller boy.

"Nonono, wait, wa––" She slaps him hard against the face, and he screams. " ** _OW_**!"

The groups quickly split off from each other, with Junpei scolding Ken for snitching on him, Minato snickering at the two, though definitely more aimed at Junpei and the large red hand print on the side of his face, and the girls all crowded in their own little group, drawing their paper fortunes. Once Kotone gets her own, she quickly makes her way over to the boys, grinning wide as she holds the slip of paper up.

"Look, look!" The boys turn to the paper, seeing the kanji sprawled out in black ink on it. "Look! ' _Great Luck_ ', see? This year's gonna be great!"

The power of her sheer smile alone causes blushes to form on the boys' cheeks, all except her brother, who smiles gently at her and begins to wander over to the little boxes.

"You were right, Kotone." He laughs softly. "I'll go draw my own, and we can compare."

"Alright!" She grins, and quickly runs over to her senpai, who turns increasingly redder the closer the _kimono_ -clad girl comes. "Senpai, Senpai! Look look, do you see it? It says ' _one's wishes_ '! That means we're definitely gonna win this upcoming battle!"

He doesn't respond back, and carmine-irises look up at him with worry through thick black eyelashes, which flutter slightly as she frowns with her concerns over her senior.

"Are you okay?"

"Uh, well, um.." He begins, hand running through his silver hair. "I'm not used to seeing you wearing something like that.. I'm kind of embarrassed. Sorry.. But, uh.. you're right. I'm sure we're going to win this battle."

Blinking a few times to let it set in, she decides to not comment on his embarrassment, and instead smiles up at him, nodding her head in agreement. They were going to win that battle, no matter what her luck said. The fact that a good thing was only the icing on the cake that was her confidence.

* * *

"So, did you guys finish making your wishes?"

A little bit of time had passed, and during it, the boys had gone ahead and prayed for the upcoming New Year, as well as drawing their fortunes out of the boxes provided. Once they had finished, they made their way back over to the girls, who had found a nice little spot to relax amongst the crowds of people that were slowly beginning to pour out of the shrine.

"Of course we did." Junpei grins, a finger pressed to his lips. "Oh, but I ain't tellin' what I wished for. I heard that your wish won't come true if you tell anyone!"

Fuuka raises a curious eyebrow. "..Isn't that what they say about prophetic dreams?"

"Eh, it's not like it takes a rocket scientist to figure out what Junpei wished for." Yukari snickers.

"Wh-What's up with that?!" He scoffs, crossing his arms across his chest. "What, you think it's gonna be something like, ' _I wish to meet a hot babe_ ', huh? Well, shows what you know! What I really wished for is––"

She cuts him off. "The same thing we all did, right? ' _I wish to prevent the Demise_ '!"

"Huh? Yeah.." He chuckles. "Let's nip it in the bud."

"Uh-huh!" Fuuka agrees with the two, and Yukari quickly snorts a laugh.

"Besides, don't you go for younger girls, anyway?"

The boy's face reddens. "What!?"

"Whoa, did I guess right?" She frowns, disgusted. "Creepy."

With the resounding laughter that rings amongst the friends, Minato decides that the brand new year has come off to a good start. These gentle smiles, the happiness that fills the air amongst his dearest comrades.. He plans to keep it like this, to protect these smiles.. No matter what it costed him.

* * *

the girls' kimonos in the game are positively boring,  
and they get a rlly pretty reboot in the movie,  
which means that only the femc doesnt have a pretty new year kimono  
so i went searching online for pretty new years kimonos and kanzashis  
it didnt take me that long bc i searched .jp  
lol

this one is rlly rlly long.. rivalling shinjiros death chapter

grim- its more like? an angel bitch slap.. bc minato's the bitch in this situation lol

ANHYWAY i hope y'all enjoyed it! see y'all in the next one!


	61. training (chapter 60)

your buddy filler chapter is here

* * *

 _January 2nd, 2010._  
 _Dark Hour._

Her naginata sunk into the pit of a large Shadow, it's black arms twitching as she destroys it's very core, it's body exploding into streamers of red and black ooze, which she quickly flicks off of the blade of her pole-arm, overly disgusted over the equivalent of Shadow flesh that stained her weapon. Despite having just destroyed one by her lonesome, she has little time to rest, as crowds surround the girl and the rest of her group, all respectively taking care of several of their own monstrous problems.

None of them had time to rest, not with how the Shadow activity raised considerably with each passing day, no doubt thanks to the Fall's promised day approaching faster and faster. It was horrifying, but it was almost perfect for them all. The amount of enemies they had to face was perfect to get more training in one night, though it meant they were much more tired than normal. She had to thank goodness that it was still winter vacation, else they would be in heaps of trouble.

As her blade slashes off the head of another Shadow, she can't help but wonder what they'll all do when school rolls back around, with the regimen that Minato has deemed necessary to win against Nyx. It provided a brief semblance of hope in their strength, since she knew that everyone had their doubts about the outcome of that fight, despite the confidence they exuded on the exterior. That extended to her, too. Their chances of genuinely winning that battle– they were slim to say the least.

But despite that, she was desperate to keep the attitude that they were to win. Everyone needed that little boost in hopes, and it had always been her job to deliver that. And besides, seeing everyone smile made her spirits rise, too. She loved all of them, after all, and seeing them feel a little more cheerful made her feel happy.

They just needed to get stronger in order to win.

When Fuuka repeats the number of floors they had to climb to reach the next guardian, she almost does a spit take. Not because it was a particularly large, or particularly small number, but rather it was the amount of floors that they had already climbed. They were nearing two hundred and thirty floors, and she couldn't believe those words until she really thought about.

Because, honestly? It felt like a whole lot more than that.

They had climbed and climbed and climbed, for almost an entire year, and fought and fought and fought. Maybe it was just the idea that soon, it would be all over, but she could hardly believe anything related to this tower anymore. Maybe she just didn't care anymore– begging for it all to be over so that they could return to their normal lives.

Or, as normal as the lives of Persona-users could get. She had a feeling that, even with the Dark Hour gone, and the end of the world prevented (she hoped!), it wouldn't mark the end of their Shadow hunting days. If the Kirijo Group could create this in the first place, then surely that meant that Shadows existed elsewhere in the world. And she wouldn't put it past Kirijo-senpai to be desperate to correct the mistakes of her family.

She'd follow her senior, of course.  
She wouldn't feel right not helping out her friend, and besides..  
It would haunt her if any more people got hurt when she could be helping them out.

Shoving her Evoker to her temple, she quickly summons Astraea to heal herself and the rest of the group, giving them a little more wiggle room to defeat more of their enemies as they tried to head for the staircase to the next floor, being guided by the angelic sound of their support member's gentle voice.

The closer they get, the more enemies they face.  
The more enemies they face, the stronger they are for the final battle.

* * *

 _January 5th, 2010._  
 _Daytime._

Unlike only a few days ago on New Year's Day, Naganaki Shrine was void of people, except for a few small, yet rather quiet, children having quite a bit of fun despite the snow covering the playground area. She and Akihiko had taken a liking to small trips to the shrine whenever they could, finding it a quiet place to relax and talk, though often times it was because Koromaru took them there. Today, it was just the two of them, enjoying the surprisingly sweet sunshine that was provided, an oddity for such cold winter months.

"It's a nice day out," He murmurs, as though he'd read her mind. "This place is quiet even on holidays, so it's soothing.."

With the relaxed smile on his face easing her into a similar state, her bare hands brushing against his gloved ones as they pause briefly in the courtyard, watching puffs of white air leave their lips as she responds with a small nod of her head, and a quiet hum in agreement.

"Well, we came all this way, why don't we pay a visit to the shrine while we're here?"

She likes the sound of that. Even if there was no god she was praying to, she just enjoyed being able to get her wishes in the open. And besides, she had little doubt that Koromaru's former owner, the priest, would be listening. "Let's do that."

"..C'mon, it's this way." He takes her small hand in her own, engulfing it in the warmth of leather, and her cheeks flush a little. Despite the fact they'd been dating for a little over two months, she still wasn't used to the touching. Maybe it was just because her mind couldn't wrap around the fact it was real, or perhaps it was because it was the first time she'd ever felt so strongly about someone in the way she did about him.

He leads her to the offertory box, and he pulls the bell for her with his free hand, the two breaking apart briefly in order to join their own hands together in prayer. Her wish this time was something of great importance to her, and she prayed particularly hard as her face stung with that familiar burning sensation of blushing. They wrap up their little visit to the actual shrine part, and he leans back slightly to get a proper view of the entire building.

"I wonder how many times I've made wishes like this here.." He chuckles slightly, and turns to her with a warm grey gaze. "To tell you the truth, I don't really like praying for things to come true. I've always thought that if you want something done, you should do it yourself. But.. there are times when even I rely on a god to help me out."

Kotone nods her head slowly in understanding. "Me too.. but I take a little bit of solace out of having my wishes heard."

"It's certainly comforting to believe in that sort of thing.. It's why that cult's become so popular recently." Their faces fall at the subject, and he inhales deeply, quickly changing the subject off of something as dark, yet extremely important, like the things revolving around their current lifestyles. Instead, he turns gentle eyes on her, and asks a question. "..By the way, what did you wish for?"

"I-I.." Chestnut curls bounce a little as her wish comes back into her mind, her face turning the same shade of bright red as her eyes were, and she turns her head away from his watching stare, too embarrassed to look him dead in the eyes as she stutters it out, "A-A future with you.."

He pauses for a moment, a silence that barely takes up a microsecond before he begins to laugh softly, a sweet sound that she's come to find a comfort in, charming her in every way.

"You're such an idiot." She turns to him, glaring with a clear pout on her face, and he only laughs a little more. "You don't need to ask God for something like that. I can make that happen all on my own."

She had prayed for it because of the uncertainty of their future, and although the words he spoke brought her an insurmountable amount of joy, she still couldn't shake the fear that she would be abandoned eventually. It was her biggest fear; being left alone. She was utterly terrified of it, the idea of dying somewhere all on her lonesome, unable to even see someone else's face before she drifted off to her grave, and it was something she constantly ran away from.

Looking up at him with large eyes, she whispers out a few words. "..Promise..?"

"..I promise." His voice is serious, the trustworthy tone she would always believe in no matter what, the bond behind those feelings forged over a year of fighting by his side, and growing to love him, despite his flaws. He was awkward, and shy beyond belief, and he could be brash and aggressive at times.. But he was someone who was always honest, who would never betray another. He was a caring, smart and genuine person, and she genuinely did love all those sides. "You don't need to believe in a god.. Just believe in me."

The two meet eyes for moments, her trying to find the right words to respond back with that weren't weak sobs of gratitude, and him waiting for the answer to the words he had spoken. Soon however, he only smiles lightly, and leans down to her eye-level.

"I won't take anything but 'yes' for an answer." He laughs happily, and she can't help but start laughing with him.

They were both idiots–– cheesy, cheesy idiots who would die to keep each other safe, yet would despair if anything happened. Love was a scary emotion, one that made them both weak, yet so incredibly strong at the same time. Just the promise of a future together was enough for her hopes to soar to new heights, and she didn't need to be a rocket scientist to tell that it was the same for him.

..They were going to secure a future for their world.  
No matter what that might've entailed.

* * *

 _January 6th, 2010._  
 _Dark Hour._

The new block of Tartarus was dyed a holy white, offsetting the disgusting truth behind the tower's purpose. It hid behind a facade of purity, one that tempted that cult into believing false prophecies about their fates. In a way, Minato almost found it sad. He didn't have many words for the people that followed that believe, other than that they were lost sheep; just like SEES had been under Ikutsuki's dictation.

In his last moments, maybe Ikutsuki didn't think of himself as that 'Prince' he mentioned, but in the eyes of SEES, everything had gone his way. He just wasn't alive to see it all come to fruition. After all, the head of the Kirijo Group is dead, all twelve of the Shadows were reunited, Death had been bought out of his ten year long slumber, and Nyx was beyond ready to descend onto their realm and bring the end.

Thanks to his little soldier army, everything had gone his way.

Clicking his tongue, he sinks his sword into the invisible body of one of the guardians, it's hideous true form revealing itself as his blade is plunged into it's eyeball, a sight he's grown far too used to to feel sick over the way the organ burst into liquid-like black and read. When he jumped away, gaining some distance in his mild rage over the thoughts he'd been thinking, he notes how the monster looked the exact opposite of threatening when it's true body was hidden away, merely appearing as a tiny, floating creature with several eyes surrounding it, all nearly it's exact size.

He supposed this was what it meant to ' _not trust a book by it's cover_ '. After all, despite the group's formidable strength that they'd gained in a few days, they had to swap members on the front lines multiple times thanks to various injuries of increasingly worsening states, but what kept them all fighting was the that that out of these damned guardians, they only had to face four more until they reached ' _the promised land_ '.

That relieved him, but it also worried him.  
If the guardians were this strong.. how bad was Nyx?

His skin crawled at the thought, and the only thing that snaps him out of the downwards spiral of fear-filled thoughts was the gentle voice of Yamagishi coming through like a celesta, her subtle timbre and tone like that of an angel, bringing him out of that horrid place. It was funny, despite the fact she was older than him by two months, something he'd learnt when everyone had been sharing over dinner–– something about wanting to celebrate everyone's birthday this year, since they didn't last year–– she felt like a little sister to him.

Perhaps it was her closeness to his true little sister, or the similarities they shared in gentle natures and optimism, or maybe it was just like Junpei had said when they first recruited her; something about her made you want to protect her. It seemed to be just another thing that the two had in common.

 _"Just a little longer, everyone!"_ She cries, her words like a holy gospel to the all too tired fighters. _"It only has a few more hits left in it!"_

Thanking god, or perhaps whatever equivalent was listening during the Dark Hour, he shoves his Evoker to his temple once more, begging his body to have one more attack in it before his legs gave out from underneath him, exhaustion taking over. He pulls the trigger without a second thought for his self preservation, a bad habit that he can't help but find strikingly helpful in moments like this, and he summons Parvati, who twirls the rose in her pinkish hands with an elegance and grace to only be expected from a goddess like her, and flowing from her rose comes a blizzard of unbelievable proportions, trapping the eyeball-like Shadows in their tracks.

"Go at 'em with everything you got!" He yells over the powerful winds, trying to conceal the amount of exhaustion that filled his voice.

A boisterous laugh responds first, and charging forward, he hears Junpei's voice. "No need to tell me twice!"

Everyone follows him suit, brandishing weapons and Evokers without second thoughts as they attacked with a newfound ferocity, desperate to get this aching, haunting battle over and done with. They cut, pierce and bash with as much strength as they can, magic attacks of every variety flying like a dance of the elements, tearing into once invisible flesh with hopes that each hit they deal will be the finishing blow.

Mitsuru's rapier is the one to finally finish it off, piercing directly through where it's brain would be, giving it a good scrambling before the monster exploded into the same disgusting formula of darkness and depression as the rest of the Shadows, no doubt to only reform into smaller, weaker versions of it's once noble self. With the battle finally over, several of the group collapses to their feet, shoulders heaving and lungs burning with pleas for rest.

He himself, falls backwards onto his back, gaze directed at the white roof above him, and the only words that can leave his lips are, "I'm not leaving bed tomorrow."

* * *

 _January 8th, 2010._  
 _After School.  
_

With the return of the third semester, they had discovered how far the cult's influence reached, and it was a lot scarier than they could've ever thought. Students talked about it with little care for what it truly meant, and some were even trying to get others involved. Their devotion was insanely terrifying, a confidence in the lies and beliefs they had been provided with that she could hardly believe.

"Hey, you busy?" Junpei walks into her classroom with a quiet voice, calling her over to the doorway with him. "Could you come with me for a sec?"

Pursing her lips in thought, she slowly nodded her head. "Okay."

"Sweet, thanks." His smile is like a charm as always, and she follows him out of the classroom, where she meets eyes with her brother, who waves his hand in greetings. The taller teen turns to the twins, and lifts his finger in thought as he spells out an idea. "It's a nice day out. Why don't we go up to the roof?"

Her brother nods in agreement, and the three quickly make their way up to the school's rooftop, where the cool wind blows gently, giving the turbines the power that they ran on. The view of the city today was particularly beautiful, thanks to the sunlight glowing off of the snow that covered the urban landscape ahead of them. Overall, today was a nice day to be outside.

The three sit down on some of the benches, and Junpei leans back a little, his gaze on puffy white clouds above them. "It's almost Coming of Age Day, ya know."

"Oh, you're right.." Minato murmurs, counting the days on his fingers.

"I used to think of it as a day off.. But now, I wonder if I'm even gonna live long enough to celebrate it.."

She can't help but think the same thing. They only had a little over three years until they reached their own celebration, but with the possibility of the world ending.. They may never get to enjoy it.

"I hope that you will.."

"Yeah.." He sighs deeply, running a hand over his head. "It's been pretty weird around here lately.. People have been passing out, others have gone missing.. Dude, it's crazy. Senpai said it's because there are too many Shadow victims and the memory revision can't keep up.. It's all gotta be because of this Nyx."

The spite in his voice isn't lost on the twins, who only feel the same sort of emotions towards the monster that they'll have to be facing against. The three sigh deeply, and Kotone turns to her brother.

"Have you heard of that doomsday cult?"

Her brother raises an eyebrow, and Iori answers for him. "They've been running around town telling everyone they see that the end of the world is coming.. Man, we need to do something, and quick."

"Everyone's scared.." The blue haired teen murmurs, crossing his arms quietly. "Even us all."

"Yeah, I guess they can somehow sense what's going to happen." Snarling, his voice filled with malice, the taller continues. "But, it's not just Nyx, ya know.. Two members of Strega are still alive. They haven't done anything yet, but I know they've gotta be planning something. And we need to take care of them, too."

She nods in agreement. "Surely.. they'll try stopping us again.."

"Yeah.. We need to be prepared for that." Her brother bites his lip in thought.

Leaning back with a grin on his face, Junpei can't help but snicker slightly. "Man.. To think that I'd end up trusting my life to a cutie and her emo brother.. I never would've imagined that happening last spring."

He laughs.

"But then again, I never thought it would come to this."

Their gazes turn off the to distance, watching clouds pass by in the blue expanse. If they had been told a year ago that they would be fighting for not only their own lives, but the lives of every human on the planet, there was little doubt that most of the members of SEES wouldn't believe a word that they had been told. After all, for most of them, a year ago they were just normal teenagers.

"..Ya know, I don't think it's completely hit me yet.." The goatee'd teenager sighs deeply, speaking the words they were all thinking. "It's all just so hard to believe.. But, that doesn't mean we should just sit around and wait for it to happen."

She smiles gently. "Y'know, Junpei.. you've really matured over the past year."

"You really have.. I can barely recognise you from the annoying guy who bothered me in class only a year ago." Minato agrees, a grin forming on his face.

"Thanks." Snorting, Junpei ruffles the curls of ocean-blue. "..You're pretty cool, man. That thing was inside you for ten years, and you harnessed its power and made it your own.. I know I've run my mouth a lot, since the day we met.. And I might've found you annoying sometimes, and I mighta made fun of you a little.."

"A lot."

"–Okay, yes, a lot! Jeez, scratch the first part, you're sill annoying." A laugh resounds amongst the three teens, and once it dies out, his seriousness returns. "But, I'm totally serious when I tell you that I'd trust you with my life. I'd trust both of you with my life. I'm.. really glad to know you two."

"Junpei.."

"It's really embarrassing to say it, but.. that's how I feel." Turning to the two twins with questioning eyes, his cheeks flushed a little, he asks a question that neither was expecting. "We'll always be friends, right? I mean, even after this is all over?"

Giving a thumbs up, Minato grins. "Of course."

"More like best friends?" Kotone giggles, and the boy's eyes light up in a mixture of disbelief and happiness at her words.

"Best friends.. Hehe.. I'm kinda embarrassed to say so, but I like the sound of that." Taking the leader's hand in his own, the two men shake hands for the very first time, maturity bonding the two together in a newly found trust, forged by a strength that wont be broken so easily. She wraps her arms around the two with a bright grin on her face, and the three chat for a little while longer before heading back home to their dormitory.

* * *

this is a filler chapter lmao..  
God i hope i can remember to write 2010 this time LOL  
OH WELL IT CONTAINS ONE OF MY FAV THINGS AKIHIKO SAYS SO;;

and junpei being best bro  
btw a vine that reminds me of him is the 'back at it again at krispy kremes'  
another one is the guy going 'thats what good pussy sounds like' with mac n cheese

DAlzii- SHIT BUDDY HEY! i hope you got good grades im prayin for u!  
and me too.. i wish altus didnt push her to the side like assholes  
YEP ALL THATS LEFT IS NYX.. which means a lot of chapters might be mostly based around  
characters being friends and bonding and training while we head for the fated day;;

well.. i hope y'all liked this chapter ;;  
i'll see u in the next one,  
i'll try updating it a bit faster next time to make up for this one


	62. cult (chapter 61)

GETTIN CLOSER!

* * *

 _January 12th, 2010._  
 _Evening._

Opening the door to the dormitory, she's greeted by Junpei's quiet expression, who seems like he's been waiting for her to return. Curious, her gaze travels over the entire first floor, surprised to see that quite literally nobody was there. She and Yukari had been hanging out together–– she had been helping her friend figure out what to do on a group date, something that had come around after Yukari had decided that bringing Kotone to a group date with her might've been a bad idea; mentioning how Sanada-senpai would kill her if she tried. Point being, she knew why Yukari wasn't there. But where was everyone else?

"Oh, there you are."

Her eye brow raises, blinking her large eyes in confusion. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, nothing.. We're all just going to Hagakure. Wanna come?"

Her eyes begin to sparkle, and the boy laughs at the reaction he had been expecting. "Definitely!"

"Wow, that was easy!" He grins brightly, and he quickly begins to explain what was going on with his sudden invitation. "..Sanada-san's buying. Him, Minato and me had a little bet at Yakushima. I can't really go into details, but in the end, I guess you and your brother were the ones who actually won.. Well in different ways."

"Huh?"

He snickers. "And you didn't even know you were a part of it!"

"Eh? **_Eh_**?" She's confused. What does he mean, they won in different ways? What was this bet? Was it a stupid one that she should scold them for? She felt like it was, just a feeling in the pit of her stomach told her that it was something really dumb.

"Well, I don't look a gift horse in the mouth, y'know? Anyways, I've just been waiting for you to get back." He steps beside her and reopens the front door, his grin never faltering despite the puzzled look she's been giving him for the past minute or so. "Everyone else already left, so we gotta jet!"

She follows along quickly, trying to figure out the answers to whatever this 'bet' was.

* * *

They enter Hagakure, and immediately her stomach growls at the familiar smell of delicious ramen. Junpei snickers at her, and she frowns at him, grumbling that how he should look for the table everyone was sitting at. He does, spotting the familiar heads of silver, blonde, blue, and brown at a large table and the two latecomers quickly run over to meet the waiting folks.

"Sorry, Kotone! I should've reminded you we were coming here!" Yukari apologises, and the auburn haired girl responds with a dismissive wave of her hand.

"It's fine, it's fine!" She laughs, a little weakly. "I just don't know what's going on.. but it's a free meal!"

Minato nods in agreement. "Is the special okay for everyone?"

"Yep, sounds good!"

Waving down the man behind the counter, he quickly calls out their order. "Six specials, please!"

Excitement fills the five juniors as their eyes sparkle at their senior, who seems rather apprehensive at handing over so much money in order to pay for everyone's meal, his arms crossed against his chest as everyone chatted about their days, but mostly over how they were getting food for free.

"Man, this is awesome!" Junpei throws his hands into the air, his face lit up like usual. "Sanada-san's _**never** _ treated us all to ramen before."

In response, the senior grumbles. "Hey, why do I have to treat _everyone_? My bet was only with Junpei and Minato.."

"Oh, not this again.." The younger of the two clicks his tongue. "Come on, Sanada-san, a bet's a bet! Pay up!"

"Alright, alright!" Clearly, a nerve has been pressed. "I never said I wouldn't."

A small laugh rumbles across the group of friends, and the silver haired boxer's eyes fall on Aigis, who had been staring off in the distance with an intensity that he can't quite understand, so he plain and simply asks her why she's looking at him.

"..What's wrong, Aigis? You doubting me too?"

The blonde shakes her head. "No, but.. Have you seen the magazine on that counter? There's an article in it that looks highly disturbing.."

"Which magazine?" The archer asks.

"It's this one.." Sliding out of her seat, the mechanical maiden quickly reaches for the magazine, lifting it off the counter and bringing it back to their group in a matter of seconds, placing the magazine in the middle of the table so they could all read the boldly written kanji on the front page. "' _Emergence of a Messiah: The Charismatic One Speaks_ '."

The brunette scowls. "It must be about that doomsday cult. They're all over the internet, too."

Pulling the magazine closer to him, Akihiko opens the copy up and begins to read the article advertised on the front cover, steel-irises grazing over each word until his eyes light up in recognition at something on the page, a small hum of disbelief leaving his lips at whatever he seems to see.

"Hey, look at the photo in this!" He murmurs in a mix between a yell and a whisper, slamming the weekly down on the table so they could all see. "Check out the so-called 'Messiah'..!"

"Wh-What the!?" Everyone's eyes widen in shock as they meet eyes with a photograph of an all too familiar face– the malicious aura it gave off palpable even in picture form. "I-Is that Takaya!?"

The grin on his face was provocative, as though he was trying to incite a feeling of rage in the group. It was working, the longer she stared at those creepy yellow eyes and stringy brown strands of hair, the more she wanted to punch something; preferably the face of Strega's leader. Her small hands tighten into balls, her lower lip bitten hard enough to bleed.

The senior sighs.

"..I thought something was up.. So, Strega's behind that cult.." He clicks his tongue. "I've lost my appetite."

Disgust evident, he passes the magazine back to Aigis, and she almost absentmindedly reaches for his hand, running her thumb across his palm in repetitive, yet relaxing motions, trying to calm the livid rage that was boiling through the boxer's blood.

Two pairs of blue eyes read over the article, but the first to speak is the robotic girl. "Listen to what he says.. ' _Mankind is currently imprisoned by the sins of hate and anger. But soon, a saviour will descend upon this world to break the chains that bind us, and lift us to new heights. This great being is Nyx. I have beheld her glory, and she has blessed me with power beyond belief. In Nyx there is no pain.. no suffering.._ '."

She feels the hand underneath her own tense.

"How the hell does he know about Nyx!?" Yells Junpei, disturbing customers in the store with them.

Yukari also raises her voice, no not to the audacity of her bickering partner. "Wait, he's saying that Nyx will save the world!? That's not true!"

"I don't think he really means what he's saying." Sanada says, slowly. "This is all just a game to him."

"That son of a bitch.."

Her brother hisses through his teeth. "God, I wanna _**fucking** _ kill him.."

She winces, it was rare that Minato swore, at least out loud. The fact that he had spoke that way was more than enough evidence for how he felt about this, and it definitely didn't help that it was sinking in that this must've been apart of Strega's big plan to get in their way.

Aigis continues, "..' _But, there are those who do not understand this truth, even though they have also been blessed by her. They have acquired the same power as I; yet they abuse it, using it for their own personal gain. These miscreants are the ones to blame for the recent tragedies that have been plaguing our streets_ '."

"Wait, is he talking about us!?"

The archer slaps a hand over the baseball capped teen's mouth. " _ **Shh**_! Not so loud!"

"Oh, sorry." He apologises quickly, muffled by the skin of her hand, and she quickly removes it, wiping it off on her skirt. "Hey, what's up with them calling him the ' _charismatic one_ '? How'd he get so popular all the sudden?"

"Well, Jin's pretty well-known on the internet.." Akihiko snarls, his free hand resting under his chin. "He's probably good at stirring up trouble."

"Yeah, I bet he orchestrated Takaya's rise to fame.." Scowling deeply, Takeba groans. "Ugh, those two make me sick.."

Kotone scratches the table with the nails of her empty hand, trying to fight off the bile rising in her throat. "They're absolutely despicable.."

".. _'Brothers and sisters, I shall go forth to make preparations for Nyx's arrival.. But, do not fear those evildoers who desecrate their gifts. Nyx shall right their wrongs. May your hearts be filled with peace as you await your salvation. Blessed are those who take joy in the coming of Nyx. The revolution is here!'_.." Finishing her readout of the article, Aigis quickly places it back on the counter where she had gotten it, her hands almost feeling dirty for touching it.

"Revolution!?" Iori slams his hands on the table, shaking the menu and napkin dispensers. "People can't seriously be buying this shit, can they?!"

"Throughout history, those who have changed the future have often been highly charismatic.." The blonde murmurs. "..That was the end of the article. It appears that after the interview, Jin and Takaya disappeared again."

"There's only one place they could've gone." Everyone knows the answer, but their senior says it out loud anyway. "Tartarus. They must've been planning this all along."

Running a hand through blue locks, Minato sighs. "Takaya's words have changed the mood of the entire city. Even though nobody wants to admit it, they're all afraid.."

"Yeah.." Twiddling her thumbs, the pink-clad girl agrees. "I mean, why else would they believe this nonsense Takaya's preaching?"

"I guess people just need something to believe in."

"Well, no wonder there's a sense of doom in the air.." Junpei groans. "We're all gonna die."

Aigis raises one of her eyebrows. "But, is that so surprising? The fact that all life ends one day has nothing to do with Nyx. Death is a natural occurrence in the cycle of life. Don't all humans realise this?"

"I guess.."

"To tell you the truth, I never even would've thought of my own death if none of this had happened." Sighing, the tallest of the five juniors pulls a grin onto his face, despite the dark tone of their conversation. "But since we've made up our minds, why don't we just leave it at that? Our objective is Nyx. If Strega gets in our way, we'll just have to deal with them too."

"I agree." Of course the boxer does. "We'll probably run into them at Tartarus anyways.. However you look at it, we're the obstacle standing in their way."

"The promised day will soon be here.."

She whines a little, pulling her hand away finally now that the anger has died off. "It's making me nervous.."

"Mm, yeah, a little." Yukari agrees.

"We need to do all we can until then."

One of the workers brings around their six bowls, balancing them like a pro on a tray as he dishes them out to each one of the teenagers sitting at the large table, wandering away while stretching his tired arms out. They snap their chopsticks apart, and Junpei raises his high into the air in cheer.

"Alright, and if that's the case, then we're gonna need lots of energy! Let's eat!" He turns back to the men behind the counter. "Excuse me, I'd like to order a Hagakure Bowl!"

"Junpei, don't forget you're having half of Aigis' food too."

"Oh, don't worry." He snickers. "I'm starving."

Jabbing his chopsticks at the younger boy dangerously, Akihiko growls. "You just better eat it all."

She giggles a little. "If he doesn't, me and Minato'll finish it off!"

"Yeah."

* * *

 _January 17th, 2010.  
Early Morning._

She woke up early today. Her reasons were really, really simple.. Both of her senpai were going off on their college admissions tests, and she wanted to give them a good send off. She worked tirelessly in the dormitory's kitchen from five am, knowing the two would wake up soon in order to leave. Knowing the two of them, they would leave either on empty stomachs or eat a single slice of bread, thinking that was enough.

Hearing two sets of footsteps down the staircase, and she quickly leans out the window of the kitchen enclave, waving at the two with a bright smile on her face, belying how tired she actually was still.

"Arisato?" Mitsuru begins, coming around the corner with surprise on her face. "What are you doing up?"

"I made you two breakfast!" She giggles, holding waving the spatula in the air in front of her to show off what she means.

"You didn't have to.."

"I know, but I _wanted_ to!" She points over to the dining table, directing the pair of seniors to it, practically giving them an order with her eyes that simply says 'sit down!'. Slowly, the pair sit down at their usual seats, curiously watching as the younger girl buzzed around the kitchen, her movements agile and surprisingly fluid, easily finding the things she needed to finish up their meals with.

Finally, she seems to have completed plating up their breakfast, and she brings the two plates out, a small stack of pancakes sitting on top. Placing them down in front of her seniors, she quickly returns to the kitchen to grab the butter, honey, and syrup, as well as utensils to eat.

"You guys need to have a full stomach in order to focus on those exams!" She states, handing over the knife and fork to the boxer, who thanks her quietly, his eyes sparkling at the food prepared in front of him. "Oh, right! Do you guys want coffee, or tea?"

It was a small gesture, but it was the least she could do for her senpai, who were doing their best to continue on with normal activities and preparations for the future ahead of them, despite the fog that covered their paths. They tried their hardest, unable to be as emotional or upset as the rest of them due to their positions as the eldest, and she didn't know many other ways to thank them other than by trying to help them out.

As they tell her what drinks they want, she quickly dives back into the kitchen, humming a tune under her breath that she can hear coming from the headphones wrapped around her neck.

* * *

 _January 18th, 2010._  
 _After School._

Face redder than ever, Akihiko had invited her to his room, where the two sat in mostly silence, her eyes wandering around his bedroom with a healthy amount of curiosity. One corner of the room was clearly dedicated to his training gear, with a set of sandbags and weights on a red mat, though the fact there was a bookshelf stocked to the brim with books nearby made her a little worried for how often he had to pick those up thanks to the swinging training gear. Her eyes trail over trophies and awards, all from past boxing tournaments. A television, bed and desk finished it all up.

Overall, it was homely. Like it had been lived in.

..It suited him.

"Sorry there's no where to sit except the floor.." Looking around hopelessly, he tries searching for a place for her to sit. "Maybe I have a cushion somewhere.."

Smiling, she waves him off. "It's fine."

"Okay.." He sits back down for a moment, but he continues to fidget. "Oh, you want something to drink?"

"It's alright."

His face flushes. "O-Okay."

He was restless, just like she was. Though compared to her, who was displaying it in the form of looking around and playing with her sleeves, he had been awkwardly digging himself deeper into a hole, which she couldn't help but find adorable.

Taking notice of her curious gaze, he asks her another question. "Err.. My room doesn't weird you out, does it?"

"It fits you."

"You think so?" He sighs with relief. "That's good."

He takes a moment to think about what he had just said, and his eyebrows knit together in a mixture of realisation and upset.

"Though.. I guess that means it's me, not my room, that's weird." He sighs into his hands, resting them on his forehead. "This is all new for me.."

"I don't know what to do, either.." She confesses, her cheeks turning a soft shade of red.

"Oh.. Umm.." He chuckles a little.

Like a heavy shroud, the silence falls on the two as they sit and simply stare at each other, too timid too start the conversation up. Her fingers fiddle together a little, the blush reaching up to her ears and making her increasingly more shy, unsure of how to behave inside of his bedroom. In fact, that might be the entire reason behind their awkwardness. Their location was brand new, and it was an intimate place for them to be.

Alone together, in a bedroom.

Just thinking about it as hard as she was was embarrassing her.

"I wanted to give you this today." Reaching over his desk to grab an item off it, he holds out an item to her. "Will you take it..?"

Her hands gingerly take the item from him, a cute rabbit doll with large red eyes. It was about the size of that Jack Frost doll she won at the festival with him, and it was utterly adorable. Her eyes sparkle as she observes the stuffed animal, from it's innocent eyes to how it's fur was so soft to the touch.

"Don't you think it looks like you?" She looks up at him, pouting slightly as he compares her to a stuffed rabbit. "What's with that face? It looks just like you.."

"..You think so..?"

If she were honest, she didn't think she was this cute. Cuddling the doll to her chest, being as gentle with it as she can in fear of destroying it, she looks up at him when he exhales deeply.

Beginning his words slowly, he confesses something to her. "There was a time when.. I thought I was just seeing Miki in you. But when I bought that.. I knew then that it wasn't the case."

She knew that in the beginning, he saw her as a little sister figure. And she had hated it so much, it had hurt her heart. At the time, she had no idea why it made her so upset, but the more time went by, the more she realised that it was because she was in love with him. She had never thought he would feel the same as she did, even though he needed a bit of nudging to realise it.

"Passing by toy stores always made me think of Miki. But I still kept trying to forget her. I didn't want to face what happened.. I kept telling myself I was doing everything I could.." Taking a deep breath, a smile forms on his face." "Then when I saw that in the store, your face was the first thing popped in my mind. And then I thought about Miki.. I thought about her smiling.."

Her carmine-irises widen a little when he tells her this, and she breathes out a small disbelieved noise. "..I.."

"If it hadn't been for you, I might never have gotten over it. I would've just pretended that I did.. Whether things have been painful, or happy, or sad.. You've always been there for me." Taking her hand in his own, his serious eyes look at her. "You should know that if you're ever going through hard times, I'll be there for you too. For now on, we have each other.."

He chuckles.

"I.. I hope you don't mind me saying this, but.." His lips purse for a moment. "Kotone.. You mean a lot to me.. I love you."

Her face turns the same shade as a tomato, from the tip of her ears down to her neck, and without even thinking about it, she wraps her arms around him, trying to hide how the tears began to form in her eyes. Thinking about it, this was the first time he's ever said that to her.

"Senpai, I-I..!" Looking up at him, silvery tears pooling in her eyes. "I.. I love you too!"

His was his turn to start blushing. "I.. I wonder how things would've gone if you hadn't come here.. Uh, I mean, Port Island in general, not this room."

She begins to giggle a little. "Senpai.."

"D-Don't think I'm gonna lose control or anything because I let you in here.." Her giggling becomes a laugh, and he frowns at her, his face increasingly reddening from his embarrassment. "..Come on, don't laugh like that."

"You're too cute, Senpai..!" Snickering a little, he pulls on one of her slightly chubby cheeks.

"Guys don't like being called that, y'know.." The two pause for a moment, but soon, the two begin to laugh together, foreheads touching slightly thanks to their closeness. "Kotone.. You're the only one I can act this way around. Would you mind.. calling me Akihiko?"

"E-Eh!?"

That was really intimate! She's unsure what to say, stuttering repeatedly, trying to form words in her mind, only for them to come out as bumbling messes.

He laughs. "Come on, let me hear how it sounds."

"Sana.." She pauses for a moment when he frowns at her for using his last name. Her rosy lips purse into a pout, and she tugs on her curls of auburn, the red of her cheeks a contrast against how pale her skin naturally was. "A-Aki.. Akihiko..san."

She can't say it by itself. It's simply too embarrassing for her to finish his name without any form of honorific, both out of embarrassment and because he was her senior. Which was funny, because she had no trouble switching from Junpei's last name with multiple different types of honorifics, to plain and simple 'Junpei'. Maybe it was because he was just like another brother to her.

"..Thanks." Taking her hands once more, he gives her a serious look. "I'll be sure to make you happy. In time, I hope you can find even more about me to love.."

* * *

IM LITERALLY SOBBING?  
HEY, GOD? WHY IS SANADA AKIHIKO SUCH A GOOD BOY?

anyway. i did say that the whole intimacy with names would come back in a couple chapters back,  
so here it is!  
lemme explain.  
in the english version of the game,  
akihiko asks to be called 'aki' the childhood nickname shinjiro uses for him  
however, in the japanese version, he asks the protagonist to use his first name  
this change was most likely due to the fact everyone uses first names in the english version regardless  
but, in this fic, i've been following how the japanese version worked in terms of honorifics and naming  
so it just made more sense for me for kotone and akihiko to go from  
'sanada-senpai' to 'akihiko-san', rather than a nickname like 'aki'.

besides, i always got this feeling like 'aki' was a nickname that came from miki and shinjiro at the orphanage,  
because of how childish the nicknames they had were for a pair of male high school students like akihiko and shinjiro.  
so i felt like it shouldve been a nickname only for those who knew each other from childhood?  
does that make sense?

i know this decision worthy of #discourse but?  
oh well i had decided this from the beginning when i chose to go based off the japanese version

anyway  
i hope y'all liked this chapter! im sorry abt how lengthy my notes got this time;;  
i'll see u in the next one;;


	63. closer (chapter 62)

**... :^) ...**

* * *

 _January 25th, 2010.  
After School._

Minato stepped into the faculty office of the school quietly, his blue eyes searching the room for his teacher, Ms. Toriumi. She wasn't a hard person to miss, thanks to her distinct pink women's suit and the way her hair curled, like a slightly shorter version of Yukari's slightly darker curls. Spotting his class's teacher, he quickly and quietly takes a seat across from her, and she pulls out his file.

"Let's begin, shall we?" He nods his head, and she simply shrugs. "I don't have much to say, though. In the end, it's your decision."

Taking a deep breath, he agrees. "..Yeah.."

"Alright, first question.. Are you planning on going to college after you graduate, or entering the workforce?"

Pursing his lips together for a moment, he diverts his gaze away as he answers. "I want to go to college.."

"..I see." Writing his answer down on the paper in front of her, she nods her head up and down in slow tandem, though he highly doubts she actually cares enough to truly agree with him. "Well, if you've given serious thought to your decision, then I believe that is what you should do. Now, it's important to keep in mind that this decision is yours, and yours alone. If someone else makes it for you, you'll regret it later. And then _you'll_ have to live with the consequences, whatever they may be."

Leaning forward with a small smile on her face, she gives him a kind look.

"But, to be honest, I'm quite confident in you. You've really matured over this last year. I'm sure you're aware of it as well."

Another inhale and exhale, his shoulders moving slowly as he breathes. "Yeah, I've noticed."

"..What do you think has helped to bring about this change the most?"

He thinks for a while about her question. If he were being honest, there was a lot of answers. Responsibility, the encounters with all sorts of people he's had.. His sister's own maturing affected him as well. But instead of saying a proper answer, the only words that leave his lips make him want to punch himself.

"Losing a loved one."

He's an idiot, and a small flash of pity goes through her dark eyes. "..I see.. W-Well, whatever the reason, you should be proud of the young man you've become. That's all for now. I hope you have a successful senior year."

"Thank you."

He pulls himself up out of his chair, and begins to wander away, only hearing her murmur about how the next student on her list was Aigis. She quickly asks for him to let the robotic girl know that it's her turn next, and he nods his head slowly, leaving the room to go find the blonde.

* * *

Finding her on the rooftop, sitting all on her lonesome, he curiously takes small steps towards her, knowing full well that she's been alerted to his presence, thanks to the fact she was a weapon–– so he quickly decides to announce who it was approaching.

"Something troubling you?"

She turns, apologising with her head bowed. "I'm sorry I went off on my own.. It's nothing, really. I just needed some time to think.."

Lost in thought, she turned back to the view of the city they lived in, watching the waves of the ocean sway to an invisible beat, their seaside song like a mystical charm that relaxes his body, and takes him back to their first meeting.

"When I finally calmed down on New Year's, I realised something.." She begins, lowering her head. "When I fought Ryoji.. I got really scared when my consciousness began to fade. But, that wasn't all.. I was also confused and embarrassed when I realised I couldn't defeat him.. But, I couldn't defeat him ten years ago either, and I didn't have those feelings then.."

A small, thin smile forms on his face. "Do you know why..?"

"I.." She nods her head. "I really have changed.."

"That's a good thing."

"I've been thinking a lot about this change that's occurred in me." He could tell. In class, at the dormitory, she always had a far off look in her sky-like eyes, their lustre dimmed over like a cloudy day, her thin eyebrows knitted together in deep thought. "You know, in the past if I didn't understand something, I would just ask someone to explain it to me. But since I've decided to ' _live_ ', no one's been able to answer the questions I have been facing.."

Leaning back on his hands, he sighs out a cold puff of air. "That's because we're human."

"Yes.. However, there is one thing I've come to understand. The reason why I wanted to be close to you was so I could monitor ' _Death_ '.. But.."

"That wasn't it?" He asks, though he has a feeling he already knows the answer.

"Even though ' _Death_ ' is gone now, I.. I still want to be by your side.." He was right, he did know what she was going to say. If he were honest to her, he would say that he didn't know the exact answer for that question of hers, but he chooses to let her finish speaking. "I still don't know what it means to ' _live_ ' yet. But, I want to learn the _**answer**_. And I think I can, if I'm with you.."

One of her cold, metal hands takes his own, and despite the fact he knows that she's all steel, he feels as though the hand he's holding is that of a regular girl. It's slightly smaller than his own, a little on the thin side, and it was the hand of a perfectly normal teenage girl.

"So, please! Please take me with you!" His eyes widen, and she looks up at him with begging emotions. "I may not be strong enough.. but I'll fight with you to the end! Please.."

His grip on her hands tighten slightly, and Minato nods his head. "We'll get there together."

"Thank you..!"

* * *

 _January 30th, 2010._  
 _Evening._

Koromaru begged even more than normal, his surprisingly sharp claws scratching at the pants Minato wore, to the point where he had decided, begrudgingly, to take him for another walk. They had gotten past the final block guardian a few nights ago, which meant that he spent most of his nights walking Koromaru instead of going to Tartarus. He decided that he should spend the last few days before the battle relaxing, so that was what he should do.

When he had gotten up from his place on the living room's couch, the shiba inu had barked and barked at the rest of the group, running around in circles around the living room until Aigis spoke up, translating the four-legged team mate's words.

"He wants everyone to come this time."

And that was how everyone had been roped into following the albino dog to the usual location they went on walks, Naganaki Shrine. The dog ran around the shrine's grounds, panting excitedly as he tried to eat flying snowflakes. The group had made themselves at home around the playground area, with their blue haired leader sitting comfortably on a bench, watching as the teenagers dragged their only child member into playing with them. They covered every inch of the zone, from the jungle gym, the slide, the seesaw..

Everyone was laughing and smiling, talking with youthful spirits, lacking any form of terror for the future– or lack there of –ahead of them. Mitsuru and Yukari were lying on the slide together, with the elder girl's head in the younger's lap. Their words were quiet whispers until Yukari cried out in shock.

"Huh?!" Nobody else looks, all too engrossed in their own conversations. "Clothes shopping...? With just me!?"

The redhead waves her hands in the archer's face. "Shh! Not so loud!"

"Ooh, that sounds great." A giggle leaves the brunette's lips, surprising her redheaded friend. "Let's go together next time, Mitsuru-senpai."

Junpei and Fuuka were playing some sort of game together, with the boy directing the small girl with words and his fingers, pointing around the large playhouse as the girl looked at him with confusion in her green eyes.

"Go right, Fuuka. Run around to the right."

"O-Okay.." Frowning a little, she agrees hesitantly. However, she runs to her right, which ends up being the wrong way. He quickly waves his arms in a stopping motion, and she pauses mid run, clearly puzzled. "Huh?"

"That's left..!" He cries. "I meant my right."

Pulling his hat off, he ruffled the buzzcut he called hair underneath, sighing deeply.

"Um.. Why don't you just climb the jungle gym?"

His blue gaze turned to where Akihiko, Kotone and Ken were, the two teenagers sitting on the top of the slide, grinning ear to ear as they tried coaxing the boy into sliding down head first. It seemed like his little sister was taunting the young boy, as the youngest member of SEES frowned at her, though his eyes were glittering with a happiness– evidence that he wasn't actually upset.

"What? I'm not going down the slide head-first." He huffs. "My clothes will get all dirty.."

Sanada laughs lightly. "..When I was your age, we used to have competitions to see who could slide down in the funnest way."

Like how..?" His curiosity is misplaced, as the second Amada says those words, the silver haired boxer pulled his vest off, and began to unbutton his school regulation dress shirt. The auburn haired girl quickly grabbed the older man's hands, as the young boy scolded the teenager. "N-No, Sanada-san, please don't take your shirt off..!"

"He's right! Akihiko-san, it's too cold!"

The three began to laugh, and the girl took the precocious child into her arms and onto her lap, and shoved herself and him down the slide while giggling like a mad man, the surprise attack causing a girlish scream to leave Ken's lips.

Koromaru had returned from his excited run around the shrine, and quickly sat down by Minato and Aigis' side, with the blonde girl sliding off the wooden bench to be kneeling directly in front of the dog, holding out one of her steel hands with a sweet smile on her face.

"Paw." The dog placed his small paw in her hand, and she nods, clearly fascinated. "..' _Paw_ ' is the command given to ask the dog to put his paw out, then?"

A bark of agreement, and she nods again. "I see."

Everyone was spending their time having fun before the final battle drew near. For once in a long time, they were all acting like what they actually were, not soldiers, not saviours of humanity.. Just regular kids, having fun with their friends. They were making the best out of a small moment, enjoying each other's company, taking solace in the warmth that friendship provided.

This was something he wanted to protect.

His sister takes his hand with her smile as bright as always, and leads him with a skip in her step to the seesaw. Yes.. if he was to enjoy himself on this final day, he should have fun playing with everyone as well.

He didn't know when he could do it again, after all.

* * *

 _January 30th, 2010._  
 _Late Night.  
_

Kotone couldn't sleep a wink. The Dark Hour had passed only moments ago, so perhaps that was what was causing her restless behaviour. She tossed and turned, adjusting the way she lay in her soft bed, but no matter what she did, she simply couldn't find herself drifting off into dreamland. It had lead to her holding one hand high above her head, trying to make out the lines where the darkness of her room connected with her pale skin.

She had thought it would bore her into sleep, but instead, it only allowed her mind to travel to thoughts of tomorrow.

It wasn't as though she was afraid of battle. If so, that would've made her no better from how she was at the beginning of the year, and she liked to think she had matured beyond that point of being scared. Rather than fighting itself.. she was afraid of the outcome ahead of them. Because there wasn't one, she didn't know what to do, and it frightened her. In all the other big battles they went into, she was able to fight without fears, knowing that so long as they won, they would be able to live on another day, and keep the world safe.

But now.. there was a chance they mightn't even win.  
It was a dice roll, with most of the numbers on Nyx's side.

She hated their odds.

Taking a deep breath in, she forces herself out of her bed, dragging her pillow along with her, and slowly opened the door to the third floor hallway, trying to stop it from creaking loudly and alerting the other girls of her leaving. Taking small, slow steps out of her bedroom, she closed the door behind her, cushioning the click of it properly shutting with her fingers, and took tip toes past each room, watching the nameplates of her friends go by as she approached the staircase.

Instead of heading to the bottom floor, like she might've any other night, she found herself on the second floor, where the men's rooms were, and she went further and further down the hallway until she made it to the last two rooms. It doesn't take her long to make a choice, and she quickly knocks on her senior's door, trying to keep the sound of her knuckles against wood as quiet as possible, while still alerting him of her presence.

It takes a few moments, but soon, the door opens just a slight, and Sanada sticks his head out curiously, a mix of surprise and concern in his eyes when he spots her.

"Kotone..?" Whispered softly, he looks out and down the hallway, confusion filling his grey-eyes. "What's wrong?"

Her lips quiver slightly, and she looked up at him through thick eyelashes. "Um.. C-Can I.. stay with you..? Tonight..?"

Staring at her, shocked, Akihiko takes at least a minute for her words to sink into his mind before he opens the door up proper, allowing the slender figure of the girl through the small gap in the opened door and into his room.

* * *

"This feels so strange.." He murmurs, his cheeks flushed. "Having you in my room changes everything.."

She sits on the end of his bed, her hands tight around a pillow she'd bought from her room. Her head nods slowly, the only thing lighting up his handsome features on the other end is a lamp on his desk, presumably used for studying, now being the only thing allowing them to see each other.

"Um.. It's quiet in here, isn't it?" She nods once more, unable to stop how her face flared up into a violent shade of red, and he pouts at her. "C-C'mon, start a conversation.."

"Eh?!" She squeaks a little, but quickly shoves her pillow over her mouth, remembering how late it was at night the fact they were literally a day away from the promised day. Everyone needed their rest, and if she woke them up and alerted them off where she was, she'd die of embarrassment. "..Um.. Hello.."

"..Really?" It was her turn to pout, and she juts her rosy lower lip out at him and looked away, her ears burning with the sensation she had become incredibly familiar with, thanks to every surprise twist and turn that the year had provided her with. The silence between the two continues, and the clock ticks onward and onward, and with a small smile on his face, he inches closer to her slightly, pressing a small kiss to her lips.

Though a little surprised, she's nothing but welcoming, inviting the warmth by letting go of her iron grip on the fluffy pillow in her hands, and letting it snake onto one of his broad shoulders, small fingers grazing over the fabric of a plain t-shirt. They part for a small moment, their connection having only been short, but tender enough for her to be surprised.

"..I take back what I said.." His voice is a low murmur, loud enough in her ears thanks to their close proximity, and she can feel his hot breath against her skin. "You don't have to say anything.."

Akihiko dives for another kiss, though this time it differed a little from any of the others they had shared. Most of their pecks were just that– small and brief, evident of their timid nature towards their relationship. She couldn't really describe what this was like; other than the emotion of passion, as though to wipe away the fears of tomorrow that she had been feeling, to replace it with a memory she'd never forget.

Irises the colour of lead bore into her scarlet. "..Just close your eyes and let our bodies do the talking.."

It was messy, sloppy and uncoordinated– something that only time and practice can teach the two to get better at. The free hand she had, which had been clutching onto the pillow she had bought with her, lets go of it entirely, and instead she lets her hand rest on his chest. Once he bites against her lower lip, a gentle bite that had surprised her into a mixture between a gasp and a moan, her grasp becomes tight against the fabric of his shirt, almost clawing to get closer.

She's not all that embarrassed at this very moment; she wonders if it's the boldness he had shown affecting her as well.

He complies without any complaints, parting away from her briefly through thick breaths for air in order to pull his tee off, discarding it to a mysterious corner of his room, where she presumes all of the layers of fabric they had would eventually end up tonight.

Their lips meet once more in a kiss that's less clumsy than the last, and they just let instincts take over, deciding that where ever it heads is fine with the two of them.

* * *

fade to black sorry hos im not legally allowed to write this yet  
dw i wrote as much foreplay as im legally allowed to do b4 we hit the _**danger zone**_

what up im flora im 16 and ive never even gotten to zero base

THEY GON DO THE DIDDLY AYY!  
but if u want to read that.. read something  
written by someone who is legally allowed to write the diddly

anyway did y'all think i wasnt gon do the  
'hang out with them even tho u finished their sl' scene  
bc if you did u were wrong

shadowash- ahah,, well i had this planned out for the chapter after that scene  
(so, this chap), so i decided to not overload it and go with this instead;;  
im really grateful u think that im doing well! it means a lot to me

DAlzii- lol fast updates is my secret power  
OH SHIT she was to! i completely forgot;;  
i must've blanked it out bc i do that a lot  
LOL i always feel like i have to apologise bc some people might find me annoying as fuck

ANYWAY i hope y'all enjoyed this!  
see u in the next one, where we finish up the filler and head over to hell


	64. jin (chapter 63)

BOY ITS HERE! THE PROMISED DAY!

* * *

 _January 31st, 2010._  
 _Evening._

The living members of SEES fill the command room, solemn looks on their faces as they sit in on the sofas with bated breaths, hands tight around their respective weaponry, thin armour underneath the school uniforms that they always wear into battle. The clock ticks down to the final hour, their anxieties peaked to maximum, bodies tense and prepared for the final battle.

"Alright.. This will probably be the last time we meet like this." Kirijo murmurs, her fingers fiddling with the blade of her rapier. "..Is everyone ready?"

"..U-Um, can I say something?" Begins the kind voice of Takeba, who brushes strands of caramel coloured hair away from her pretty face, her eyebrows knit together with a worried glance in her deep-irises. "I know that we have to defeat Nyx.. But if you think about it, that means we'll be getting rid of the Dark Hour.. Ryoji-kun said that if he dies, our memories will disappear too.. So if we defeat Nyx.. we might not remember any of this."

Yamagishi clenches her fingers together. "Our memories.."

"True.. our memories regarding the Dark Hour and our Personas.." The redhead's lips part slowly, her gaze becoming even more deflated and upset than before. "They.. may disappear."

Akihiko breathes out deeply, his gloved hands tightening into hard fists. It sinks into everyone's minds, the realisation of what their friends are implying. Even if they win, they'll be forgetting everything about their past year. The bonds they forged, the friendships, the battles they faced.. The way they grew and mature.. Everything, consigned to the oblivion that was the past.

"But, even if that happens.. I want you all to know, I won't forget you!" She cries, her eyes strong and determined, as though she was begging fate to allow them all to remember each other. "Even if it robs us of all our memories together.. I will still remember you all!"

Junpei laughs. "We know you will, Yukaricchi!"

"I won't forget anything!" Kotone clutches the fabric of her shirt, just above her heart, as though she was swearing upon her own life.

Short teal curls bounce as Fuuka agrees. "I won't forget you, either!"

"Neither will I!" Ken yells.

"I will not forget you, Yukari-san."

Each person marks their words with confidence, all eyes on the brunette girl, trying to reassure her (and themselves) that no matter what happened to any of them over this night, they'll all get out of it together, and would keep each other in the back of their minds, refusing to let fate cast those sweet memories away.

One of Mitsuru's elegant hands is placed on the pink-clad archer's shoulder. "Don't worry, even if you do forget about us, I'll remind you."

"..Yeah, so don't worry about it."

Her doe like eyes tearing up, her smile a sweet, thankful curl of her soft lips. "Oh, I'm so glad to hear that.."

"Okay!" Clapping his hands together and catching everyone's attention, Iori grins brightly as eyes of all shades are on him. "Then, after the battle, no matter what happens, let's promise to meet each other again!"

Amada's eyes sparkle at the prospect. "Good idea! But, where should we meet?"

"I don't think it should be the dorm.." Fuuka murmurs, pursing one of her small fingers to her plump lips. "We'll come back here anyways if all goes well.. Hey, shouldn't we also decide when we'll meet?"

Nodding his head, their silver haired senior quickly points out the next thing on their list to narrow down the days. "Yeah, it should be a special day.."

"What about Graduation Day?" Yukari states out the most obvious of days, and everyone lights up in agreement. "When the Dark Hour vanishes, our memories might not disappear right away. So we shouldn't plan to meet too soon after the battle. And there's no day that will have more significance to us all."

"Wow..!" Ken awes the older girl. "You're really smart, Takeba-san! Graduation Day..!"

Minato nods his head in quiet acceptance. "Yes, that will be easy to remember."

"Yeah, that's probably our best bet.." Junpei snaps his fingers. "Graduation Day it is! Now, where should we meet?"

Thoughts of locations run through everyone's minds, going from places like the shrine where they played together and took Koromaru for walks, to Moonlight Bridge, where everything had began. Mitsuru taps her long nails against her lower arm as she continued to run over possibilities, and she finally speaks up with what she believes their parameters should be for the location.

"It should be somewhere where it's easy to recognise that peace has returned to the city."

Amada frowns, trying to come up with a location that the others haven't thought of. "Somewhere with a good view, then? Um.."

"..Oh!" Everyone turns to their leader's younger sister, whose rose-irises are wide with realisation as she snaps her finger and thumb together, a grin forming on her kind face. "How about our school's roof?"

"Ooh, good idea!" Crossing his arms with a nod to his head, the capped teen bares his teeth with enthusiasm. "Alright, the roof it is!"

"And when we meet again.. we should remember how we're feeling right now.. That no matter what may happen, we will never look back.."

"..I agree."

Koromaru barks his own sentiments, his feelings the same as everyone else.

Mitsuru laughs gently, her fingers running through the white fur of the dog. "Alright then, let's get going."

Pulling themselves out of their chairs, preparing all their equipment, Minato turns back to his friends with a warm smile on his face, his confidence in them brimming like a soft light, radiating from the aura he gives off.

"Let's go, everyone."

Together.

* * *

 _January 31st, 2010._  
 _Dark Hour._

His sword dices open the body of a Minotaur-like Shadow, sinking into the monster's stomach deeply in order to deal as much damage as he can in the limited amount of time they've been given. So far, there had been no signs of Strega on the floors below, or their insane cult, only agitated Shadows making desperate attempts at stopping them from reaching the rooftop of the spiralling Tartarus. No longer were their any outer walls that Yamagishi could sense, implying that they had reached the final stage.

He watches as Junpei slams his large claymore into a Shadow that takes the form of dice, sending it flying into a wall of pure white. It splatters into streams of black and red, and the teenager doesn't take his time moving onto the next enemy in his way, instead of excitedly babbling about his win like he would normally. He was serious, out of character for the normally boisterous and bubbly fighter.

Not too far away from the ocean-locked teen he sees the boxer slam powerful jabs into another monster's body, each heavy blow sending the creature's flesh into a contortion, his blows a desperation to create a path to the top, where Nyx awaited them to deliver her divine retribution.

Carving the way to the staircase with her flames, mowing down the Minotaur that had his sword held captive inside of it's disgusting guts, his sister cries for him to lead them straight to the next floor, her Evoker against her temple, Astraea's shimmering body hovering over it's summoner, it's movements like an ethereal dance through fire.

He leads up the stairs, where they find themselves on a large plateau. Glimmering in a corner is the same bright transporter as the one on the very first floor, it's shimmer taking shape into the form of a small body, allowing Yamagishi to join the rest of them as they near closer to the fated battle. She joins them in their small break, kneeling in the middle, summoning Juno in order to scan up ahead.

Her voice is soft, but it has a strength behind it that only she can have. _"There's one of those Strega members up ahead."_

They take steps up the staircase, and they meet eyes with the green-clad, blue haired man known as Jin, who pushes his large glasses up over his narrowed eyes, glinting slightly in the unholy light that basks Tartarus. He doesn't say a word, only clutching his dark metal Evoker in one hand, the other around his silvery suitcase, where he stored the explosions he used in battle.

"You..?!" Akihiko hisses, his eyes searching the area for the man's gun wielding friend. "Where's your partner?"

Narrowing sky-irises, he man simply states the truth. "Takaya went on ahead of me. He's destined for greater things."

A sigh leaves his lips, and he looks away with eyebrows furrowed tight together, arms crossed with an almost pitying look on his face. It wasn't the sort of pitying that you'd get from someone who means it, rather, it's that of someone looking down on them.

"So, it looks like you're serious about fighting Nyx."

Fuuka's voice rings amongst the air. _"How do you know about Nyx..?"_

"I pieced together the information Ikutsuki left behind." Jin shrugs his shoulders plainly, scoffing deeply. "But, not all of it made sense.. He was a real nut job."

Disbelief fills the air between them all, and all Minato can do is bite his lower lip. So, Ikutsuki really did have a connection to Strega.. He can't be surprised anymore. It all made sense, from the fact they were another group of Persona-users, to the Evokers they carried.

Yukari cries out, an arrow between her fingers as she aims her bow. "Did you know Ikutsuki!?"

"We were surprised to find out he was your boss." His glasses are shoved up once more as they slide down the bridge of his high set nose, irises the shade of deep blue glimmering with a dangerous intent. "We really only knew his name.. He was just one of the researchers who created us."

"He 'created' you!?" The Kirijo Group's heiress can't believe her ears.

 _"Who are you!?"_

A laugh leaves the Strega member's lips. "Heh.. There's no use in telling you.. The end is near."

Clutching her rapier tight, the redhead points it at their adversary. "We don't have time for this.. Get out of our way."

"Can't do that, little lady.. There's no way you'll be able to stop Nyx.." His grip on his Evoker tightens, and he glares. "But, I can't let you interfere with Takaya's wish."

"Do you even understand what you're saying!?" Yukari screams, the hand pulling her bowstring back shaking. "If Nyx isn't stopped, all life will be destroyed!"

"Exactly." The man snarls. "We won't live much longer.. and we want to see the end before we die. That is Takaya's wish.. so I'm not backing down."

 _"But.."_

Cutting off the support Persona-user's sweet voice, he aims for his forehead. "Enough talk. Let's do this."

Summoning the robotic pendulum that was his Persona, it makes an ungodly screeching noise that echoes amongst the empty walls of the tower, a signal for them all to begin moving. They spread out into small groups, Koromaru and Ken moving to keep Yamagishi safe as she calls her own Persona out to provide the support that they'll need for the battle. The archer fires off the arrow she had charged, it nicking the manifestation of their enemy's soul in the arm.

Sliding forward on her tall heels, Mitsuru aims her Evoker with extreme grace as she fires off, her head lashing back as she summons Artemisia, the empress using her thorn-covered whips to the best advantage as she can as she traps Jin's Persona in spot, her commanding voice sounding off.

"Arisato, Akihiko, Aigis!" The three are instantly listening, turning towards her. "Go on ahead! We'll deal with him here!"

Firing off another arrow, Yukari agrees with her senior. "Junpei, Kotone, you two go as well!"

A small flash of protest is evident in the five, who clearly don't want to leave their friends to fend off for themselves, but understanding the weight of the situation they're in, they quickly run off ahead, dodging flames and ice from Jin's desperate attempts to stop them, running up the staircase behind him.

As they ascend, the brunette hears the loud yell of Junpei call out to her. "Don't you get killed, Yukaricchi!"

* * *

Pulling her Evoker out, she grins wide as she fires it to her forehead, a whirlwind surrounding the blue-haired enemy, who had been watching the figures of five disappear up the staircase, the winds violent like that of a tornado, knocking his attention back to the four adversaries on the same level as him, powerful and seemingly uncontrollable, yet completely under her jurisdiction.

"Who does he think he's talking to?" She chuckles slightly, hearing a small laugh of agreement from her senior. Once she can no longer see the backs of her friends, no longer hear the footsteps echo amongst the empty halls, she prepares another attack. "Right, let's do our part!"

Koromaru growls, a guttural noise that sounded odd from the normally friendly dog's bark, his collar glowing a fantastical blue as he summons the hell-hound that was his Persona, Cerberus. Fire explodes everywhere, the man doing desperate motions to avoid having any fire come into contact with his box of explosives, his Persona sliding down in order to guard it's creator.

His eyes are piercing as he glares at Yukari. "You can't hide your weaknesses from me!"

Spinning it's left arm, electricity begins to store up in the metallic body, like a lightning rod, and aims the electric strike for the brunette archer and Isis, who instinctively moves to defend her summoner. A scream of utter pain leaves the brunette's lips as she's struck down, body quivering as static fills her muscles. She can't hear a thing as her ears are ringing, everything like white noise to her. It mixes all together, the screams she hears of Fuuka and Mitsuru-senpai, though she can't tell whether they're yelling for her, for because they've been attacked.

Finally, the buzz of pain begins to wear off, the feeling of healing overcoming her body, and she turns her weak brown gaze onto her saviour, Amada. Kala-Nemi was standing guard, unable to block the power of electric attacks completely, but able to withstand them while helping the archer back to her feet. Her lips part slightly, trying to find the right words to say, but the only thing she's able to say is a weak little, _'thank you'_.

The little boy smiles at the elder girl. "It's fine, Takeba-san. We need to win so we can catch up with everyone."

Nodding her head, a grin forms on her face. He's right, and she almost can't believe she's being encouraged by a little boy. Despite that, she is only welcoming to the boy's words of encouragement, and she forces herself back onto her feet. Her fingers twitch as she reaches for her Evoker, the little boy's small feet kicking it back over towards her as she grabs at it, pulling it back up to her forehead. Both hands tight against the trigger, she pulls it and summons Isis once more, ready for her revenge.

Turning her eyes to Mitsuru, she grins.

"Senpai! Let's try and finish this in one hit!"

A calm smile forms on the redheaded woman's plump lips, and she approaches her brunette friend with easy steps, a slightly quick run, pointing her Evoker to her forehead and summoning Artemisia, the two feminine Personas floating above their two summoners, almost in a perfect sync.

Jin hisses. "I won't let you!"

His Persona spins it's single limb once more, flames burning up around the arm, ready to be shot at the two girls. As he fires the explosions at the two girls, he's stopped immediately by the growling dog and his three-headed Persona. Though both dogs shared the wings on their backs, Koromaru was that of an angel, his Cerberus a demon from the gates of hell it guarded. The large, black dog blocks the flames without any trouble, following the orders of the much smaller shiba, who barks at the two girls behind them, as though they're capable of understanding.

"Thank you, Koromaru!" Mitsuru's gratitude is palpable, and the two girls use their elemental attacks, a blizzard of freezing ice and a hurricane of ripping winds, attacking the grenade wielding man with nothing but viciousness, desperation to get through in order to join the rest of their friends in the battle ahead of them.

The ice crawls and shivers up his legs, freezing them in place, and he instinctively throws a grenade at anything– any one of his multiple enemies, only for it to be swung out of the way mid air by the long spear of Amada.

"I wont let you!" He yells.

It explodes, the winds from it's impact with the rooftop sending dirt and crumbling marble flying. Jin's shoulders heave up and down, rips in his green turtleneck and ice freezing his legs in pace. Covered in open gashes from head to toe, blood pouring out of his wounds, he hisses in pain as he's trying his hardest to continue standing, the only thing keeping him up straight being the ice that freezes his body in place.

"Ugh.." He turns to the four fighters with narrowed eyes, his voice a yell. "What're you waiting for!? Finish me off! I would do _**anything** _ for Takaya.."

Ken aims his spear forward. "Why are you so loyal to him?"

"Heh.." A laugh. "You wouldn't understand.. Takaya showed me the light when I was in the darkness.."

When he's watched with curious, yet unforgiving faces, he simply chuckles– understanding that he's been defeated. Taking a deep breath in, trying to cool the pain forming in his body.

"It was a long time ago.. In order to better understand the Dark Hour.. Kirijo rounded up kids that were living on the streets, and gave them special powers.." He waves his hands out to gesture the space around him. "So they could investigate Tartarus."

"What..?"

"But, when that power doesn't emerge naturally, it's difficult to control. So the kids had to take experimental medicine so their power wouldn't kill them." Ken's eyes widen in disbelief, as he realises what everyone else does– this is about the medicine Aragaki was taking, and why it had been provided by Strega. "Only three out of the original hundred survived, and after six months, the experiment was cancelled."

 _"Then, those three were.."_

Mitsuru crossed her arms, eyes falling into a sullen look. "You all suffered at the hands of Kirijo.."

"Takaya _**saved** _ me from it all..! He said, _'Don't let the past control you, and don't look into the future; simply live in the moment'_.." He chuckles. "To be honest, I don't even care about Kirijo anymore. But, Takaya's wish.. must be.. fulfilled..!"

"You.." Yukari can't believe what she's hearing.

Suddenly, the familiar ring of Fuuka's voice meets their ears, only instead of being like water dripping off echoes, her voice is regular, and that's when they all realise she's not speaking through Juno– she's speaking directly to them.

"Shadows are surrounding us!"

The four fighters turn their gaze to what's around them, seeing red-eyed Shadows crawl up walls and up the staircase they came from, menacingly inching closer and closer, ready to attack them all. Immediately in response, Ken and Koromaru run past Jin and up the staircase, as Yukari and Mitsuru click their tongues impatiently, disbelieving of how long they must've taken down here.

"We're running out of time!" Taking the brunette's hand, the two begin to ascend the stairs. "We have to go! Now!"

Yukari turns back to the blue haired man. "But.. we can't!"

Turning back over his shoulder, he growls at the five. "You idiots! I don't want your pity!"

Silence fills the air as Shadows crawl closer and closer, and finally, the five resolve to climbing up the staircase, never looking back at the man who had screamed at them to go, even though the words he'd used weren't exactly that kind. He turns his blue eyes onto the monsters, using an injured hand to shove his glasses up his nose, mumbling only to himself.

"Look at all of 'em, crawling out with those nasty faces.." He snickers, pulling the final grenade out of his suitcase. "I won't let you eat me.. I believe in you, Takaya.. Fulfil your wish.. I'll hold onto the freedom you gave me until the very end!"

Pulling the pin out of the grenade, the last thing the SEES members hear is an explosion from below.

* * *

rip jin  
u was an asshole  
u was a loyal asshole tho

ANHYWAY i decided to give yukari, ken, koromaru and mitsuru the spotlight this chapter!  
its not as long as i liked, but my dumb ass gonna force as many chapters outta the 31st as i can

grimreaper- LMAO i wasnt even dared i just wanted to write it  
YEAH IM ALREADY FEELIN THE HEAT AND WE JUST STARTED..  
BOY WE GOTTA.. WE GOTTA FIGHT ON!

i hope y'all enjoyed this one! im updating pretty fast these days;;  
i'll see u next one!


	65. takaya (chapter 64)

HEY SO. takaya fucking spams megidolaon  
i was honest to god like "FUCCCK OFFF REVOLVER JESUS!"

* * *

 _January 31st, 2010._  
 _Dark Hour._

An explosion sounds from the floor below them, and the group who had run past the enemy in their way, causing a wince to cross the expressions of the younger three. They pause briefly, worrying filling their eyes as they turn back for a moment, considering turning back to go make sure their friends are okay. As the shortest of their group– an auburn haired girl holding a naginata tight in her hands– prepares to run back, she's stopped by the tallest of the group– a silver haired man with a pair of brass knuckles on.

"Don't."

Her lips purse as she looks back at him. "But, Senpai––!"

"Kotone," A blue haired boy begins, turning the girl's gaze onto him. "We need to keep going."

"But––!"

"Have faith in the others.. I'm sure they wouldn't die that easily." She stares her brother in the eyes, lips quivering and eyes filled with a disbelief that he wouldn't let her go back, but after she lets what he says sink in, she sighs and turns back towards the way they were heading, and continues to walk.

They're right, she needs to trust the times they've escaped death in the past, and continue heading forward while hoping for them to catch up. They had Yukari and Ken with them, so it wasn't like they were screwed if they got hurt, and if things got _too_ bad Fuuka could always use Oracle and hope for the best, but after hearing that giant detonation, she couldn't help but worry. In the end, she forces herself to continue on, following the backs of her brother and Aigis, keeping her mind on anything but the way she sees Shadows become more and more agitated by the second.

They have to take that as a good sign, one that they're nearing the top. Without Fuuka's assistance in assessing on ahead, none of them can tell. All they had was what their surroundings would tell them, and all it said was that the Shadows weren't happy. The way they moved was nothing short of erratic, quick and wild movements that betrayed the calm that the Shadows displayed.

Each step gets them closer to another large open area, the space filled with a white glimmer that glows off of the eerily pale skin of the man who stands not too far away, his body blocking the staircase to get further up Tartarus's spiralling form. They slow to a stop from their fast paced run, a large space between themselves and the gun-wielding man who blocks their way.

Slowly, slowly, Akihiko asks a question. "Is the top of Tartarus past here?"

"Indeed."

"Then, let us through." A growl, plain and simple. They don't have the time to be playing these sorts of games with the leader of Strega– they have to get to the top before it's too late.

"I am not standing in your way." The man says it so matter-of-fact, like his very actions weren't defying what his words say. His gaze goes from the five of them to the way they came, and an eyebrow raises. "I take it your other ' _friends_ ' are facing Jin.. You are quite troublesome. What is it that you seek? These are your final moments.. The end is nigh."

"Sorry.." Biting down on his lip, the boxer races forward, slamming his fist into the man's face. "But, we're not gonna let that happen!"

Takaya is knocked back by the surprise hit, his cheek turning an ugly mixture between red and purple as a bruise begins to form. He backs off a few steps, and grasps at his head with a scream, a blizzard of violent red surrounding his body as he summons his Persona; it's grotesque wings flapping above it's summoner as it watches with horrific eyes.

A smile forms on the man's lips. "You are merely wasting your energy.. Why not celebrate this wonderful moment?"

Aigis races forward, and with a massive leap, she begins to fire her machine guns at the man's Persona, who only uses it's wide array of attacking abilities to stop the robotic girl and her bullets in their tracks with a massive gust of powerful wind, sending her flying back into a wall.

"What better way could you spend your final moments together?" He laughs wildly as his Persona begins to burn the world, scorching flames across the ground that the two fire-users, Kotone and Junpei, quickly move to block. Their Personas work in tandem, summoned in seconds with the pull of a trigger in order to block the man's attack. He clicks his tongue, and the red-eyed girl shoots a dagger like glare at him.

Her voice, normally so gentle, is filled with a harshness. "Will you just shut up!?"

"My life was stolen from me.." He murmurs, yet it feels more like he's yelling with how much hatred spews from his words. "And in its place, I was given a power I never asked for.. And so, I learned that the future is only a delusion. Only by striving to live every moment to its fullest can the soul truly be satisfied. That is why we welcome this glorious revelation, to shine a light upon this darkened world!"

He holds his hands out high, and in sync with it's summoner's movements, it begins to charge up a particularly nasty looking attack. The group splits apart, attempting to keep him from being able to take them all out in one hit.

"You're so full of shit!" Screams Junpei, as Trismegistus races forward to clip Takaya and his artifical Persona with it's razor sharp wings. "I'm not dying so you can have a fuckin' night-light!"

"This is not merely my desire." He dodges the boy's attack without a single care in the world, Iori can only growl under his breath in response. "There are many who rejoice in her arrival."

The attack he had been powering up is set off, a powerful thunder strike raining down on the battlefield, which Sanada quickly moves in to dodge, using Caesar's ability to block electrical attacks to his maximum advantage. Takaya only continues to force the attack on, keeping the silver haired man trapped in his place so the two girls– weak to these types of attacks– weren't hit.

Using the way he blocks as an advantage, Kotone runs towards the long haired man with her naginata, slashing it at him as she yells. "That's just because all these weird things have been happening!"

"That is untrue.." He dodges the way her blade continues to come for him, agile and filled with an intent to get him out of their way. "Who is responsible for reviving Nyx? Can a single person boast of this great accomplishment? You all worked tirelessly to prevent it, and yet in doing so, you unwittingly aided in her coming.. So you see, it is not just my will; it is the will of all people. Man cannot face death without first finding meaning in life.. But the world has realised that any meaning in life was lost _**long** _ ago! Nyx has come because humanity cried out for her salvation!"

"You're wrong!"

Aigis pauses briefly, her fast-paced movements stopped in their tracks. "And yet, there is truth in what he says.."

"Aigis!?" Disbelief fills the girl's voice, who moves backwards to avoid the revolver that glints dangerously at the man's side.

"To live a still life, never searching for one's purpose, going into a still death.. to avoid pain above all.. I don't know if this can be called right or wrong." The robot looks away, yet subtly reloading her guns. "But as for myself, I wouldn't want to live that way.. I want to live for a reason, and to live for others.. That is why I came all this way. That, for me, is what it is to live."

Pursing his lips tight together, Takaya only sighs. "I see there is no reasoning with you people.. Then, so be it."

Clutching his head once more, his Persona bats it's wings made of muscle, and the fight starts back up once more, no longer held back by the concept of talking it through. Instead, he only bursts out attacks upon attacks, desperate to get them to drop dead– something they refused to do. They dodge and block, firing back as many attacks as they can, whether they be physical or elemental types. What mattered was that they needed to win this battle.

Clouds of smoke form as explosions of fire collide, and using it as a cover, Akihiko yells at the blue haired boy through the distraction.

"Go on ahead, Arisato!" The leader turns his ocean-gaze onto the silver haired man, who had reappeared rather close to Takaya and was throwing uppercut and jab at the man, trying to keep him from giving commands. "We'll take care of this asshole!"

"Minato, go! We've got your back!"

"Big bro, we're relying on you!"

The man growls at them, and commands his Persona to give chase after the quickly running blue haired teen. "I won't let anyone past!"

Thinking as fast as she can, the mechanical maiden takes charge and jumps into the air, her boosters providing her that extra lift she needs to catch up with the monstrous looking creation, grappling it in what appeared to be a full nelson, slamming it down from it's place high in the air.

"I won't let you get in Minato-san's way!"

Without turning his gaze back, whispering a small thank you under his breath, he runs on ahead.

* * *

As the thin figure of their leader ascends further and further away, the four fighters left behind prepare themselves back into a tight formation, eyes like daggers as they stare down Takaya, who slowly turns his wild gaze back onto them, his grin positively psychotic and ear-to-ear. As the nanoseconds tick by, he pulls his revolver out of it's spot by his pockets, aiming it perfectly down the middle, the bullet he fires off causing the four to split back up once more.

"Fine then.." His words are a harsh growl, seething with an anger she can't place.

She can't give him another moment to summon back that Persona of his– without her brother's special ability, they won't have much help if he was able to use any form of ice spells. Pulling her Evoker from it's holster at her waist, she points it for her temple without a misplaced beat, something she's grown so used to doing over the past year.

If only the terrified her from before SEES could see her now.

"Astraea!"

She hears that all too familiar sound of glass shatter, and she can feel the mystical blue winds kick up around her as her Persona reshapes it's form into the real world– if the Dark Hour could be called that. The feminine form, shimmering with every inch of the galaxy, hair like cosmic fire. Elegant, angelic wings and a halo, both iridescent and giving off a gentle glow. The torch that the Goddess holds begins to spark with flames, and with a quick and graceful flick of her wrists, Astraea lets the fires fly.

Like meteors, they fly for the man, singeing his hair as he makes a desperate attempt to break for it.

Taking cues from the girl, Akihiko aims for his forehead and fires. "Caesar!"

The emperor clad in white takes shape, the globe in his one hand spinning like a vortex that creates a whirlpool of gravity, dragging any enemy closer to the summoner and the summoned– and once Takaya's in the ruler's reach he slams his sword down on top, barely being blocked by the man's Persona, which shatters upon impact with the blade.

Each attack is a mental strain on the man's mind, as his eyebrows furrow more and more with every hit, the sweat curling down his forehead dripping onto the white floors beneath them. Each breath causes his shoulders to move up and down, haggard shivers as he refuses to give up on what he believes in.

They all had to admit, he was persistent.

Aigis, refusing to back down from protecting Minato 'til her last leg, summons Athena; whose true strength lied in support and defence, while still being a powerful hitter. The new Persona suited it's owner, far more humanoid than Palladion was, and it's talents at skills to help others fit the robotic girl's personality to a T. She was protective, and refused to back down, and felt nothing but love for her friends.

Athena speeds forward, her spear piercing the man in the shoulder and pining him to a wall, giving Junpei an adequate amount of time to summon Trismegistus back onto the playing field, the bird-like Persona speeding forward as Athena dissipates in order to give him a clear target. He hits straight on, causing the man to screech in pain as a large gash, pouring with blood, forms on his stomach, and he falls to the ground.

He desperately clambers to his hands, coughing blood up as he shakily pulls his gun back out, aiming it for any of them, desperate to at least take one with him. As he pulls the trigger, the bullet would've hit Kotone right in the stomach if it hadn't been for the sweet voice that calls out to them; like a chime in the summer winds.

 _"Activating: Oracle!"_

It's a miracle, she thinks, as the attack is blocked from ever touching her by a watery wall, and she can't help but smile with relief as she knows who exactly it was that had protected her. After all, only one of them could project their voice right into their heads.

"Fuuka.."

The others race up the staircase, battered and cut up but otherwise doing pretty well for themselves, and seeing his lack of numbers and feeling the wounds that he's been dealt, Takaya simply falls back onto his back, smiling wide.

He takes deep breathes, shivering as he bleeds out. "I have failed.. haven't I..?"

Akihiko stands over the man, glaring down at him while kicking the revolver away from the pale hands of Strega's final member.

"There is nothing more that I can do.." He chuckles weakly, clearly speaking to the teenager who knocked his only from of defence away. Breathing through his nose, closing his eyes with a grin, says the one thing they refuse to do. "Now.. kill me."

No one moves. Her rose coloured gaze drifts to Junpei, who she presumes would be the one who would want to kill this man the most; considering what he did to Chidori. Instead, the baseball-cap wearing teen only looks away, his eyes dark and sullen, an emotion that didn't suit him one bit. Aigis watches everyone, watches how nobody follows the words of an already dying man, and she turns to Takaya with almost confused eyes.

"..Are you scared?"

He laughs, coughing a little in pain afterwards. "..What a peculiar question.. You know nothing of death, if you think it is something to fear.."

"What do you mean?"

"You fear it because you do not understand it.." He points accusingly at the robotic girl, who narrows her eyes a little in response. "..I will not explain to you any further."

Silence falls over the group once more, and Mitsuru steps forward, her once neat white blouse covered in dark dirt stains and ripped fabric, her red ribbon a little uneven from the battle she had faced. She stares down at the yellow-eyed man, her arms crossed over her chest as she says what she truly believes.

"There's no honour in taking the life of someone who can't move." He looks up at her, and she continues on. "You will live to see if what you wished for comes true or not."

Junpei jabs his large sword at the man, never actually touching him. "Yeah, lie there and think about what you've done."

They walk past and around who had been their greatest human adversary, wandering up the staircase that he had guarded so fiercely with his life. Shoulders brushing together, confidence brimming in their eyes, they prepare to meet their leader at the very top– to face Nyx as a group.

No one is sure of what happens to Takaya. He was a cold, manipulative man; scum off the bottom of the barrel. And yet she feels almost pity for him as they leave him there to die, either from his bleeding wounds or from the Shadows that crawl the tower that they call home. Either one was a fitting death for the man in her eyes, but she still can't help but feel remorse.

The final staircase is a behemoth, reaching high into the sky, a clear view of the outside world from it's steps. She's able to see the world they've been trying to protect, lit up by green moonlight below them, each building like an ant from the height that they were at. Whilst they ascend, they quickly share information about what had happened in their time split up, with Kirijo's group explaining how Jin had blown himself up as Shadows descended on him, and Sanada's group informing the newcomers of Minato going on ahead.

"This is the final battle.." Mitsuru murmurs, checking her wounds weakly. "We can't afford to have use our Personas to heal right now."

Nodding his head in agreement, Akihiko points another thing out. "We'll need that strength for the final battle."

As they approach the alter, the final floor; they meet eyes with Minato, who waits them all down with torn clothes and dirt covering his face, hair misplaced and even a little cut looking– his bangs a little shorter than normal. He smiles weakly at them, giving a small wave of his hand that wasn't clutching onto his sword for dear life, and they all smile back.

Nobody was going to go into this alone.  
It was together, or nothing.

* * *

WHOOOO BOY WE DESCEND ON THE FINAL BATTLE!  
so next chapter, i'll be showing y'all what minato was doin while we was kickin takayas ass  
and then we'll be approaching nyx!  
im honestly scared for writing this next battle bc it'll make me want to die 100% i swear

HONESTLY being this close to the ending makes me a lil sad!  
well, i do have a basis for the sequel in the drafts, so!  
heres a quick rundown on what im doing  
i wont be doing the answer! not much of it will change, tbh,  
with the exception of kotone being there  
and idk if i'll do p4u.. im not a fan of how most of the p3 cast was portrayed,  
but i do like the concept of the shadow operatives

characters like labrys and kikuno will make appearances tho;  
they dont make their debuts in that game, they're from the p3 drama cds!

in between me preparing the proper sequel fic to this one,  
i'll do small drabbles in between to fill the time gap we'll be having  
please, look forward to it!

uminight- YEA SAME HERE! is why i always end up doin  
that event as close to the 31st as possible, lol  
and im not bound by the games strict time cycle in this fic  
i do what i want

ANYWAY I HOPE Y'ALL LIKED THIS CHAP DESPITE MY STUPID ASS RAMBLINGS!  
see u next one for ultimate depression


	66. the great seal (chapter 65)

BANGS MY POTS AND PANS  
WELCOME TO HELL WELCOME TO HELL WELCOME TO HELL

* * *

 _January 31st, 2010._  
 _Dark Hour._

His comrades have given him a chance, a chance that he can't waste. He runs past them and the enemy that stood in their way, whispering his words of gratitude on the winds, only for the ears of those who helped him with this battle. The stairs lead him to a spiral upwards, trailing the outside of Tartarus like a snake, where he's able to look down the side at the earth below him– at the world that he's trying to protect.

He felt really, really tall; like he was a giant in an old fairy tale he read. Everything was so small below him, so insignificant that the shapes of buildings begin to meld together in his vision, whether it's because of the height or his eyes playing tricks on him, he isn't sure. For the moment, he shouldn't be thinking about such things, and he moves to focusing his hard gaze on the way he's headed, how the behemoth of a staircase felt like it would never end.

A rumble thunders through the tower, and he wonders what it is; the strength of it's sheer power causing him to stop in his tracks for safety purposes– a lack of railing made it too dangerous for him to try anything. His question is answered quickly, as the wall by his side is smashed open like eggshells, and he meets eyes with a monster they had desperately avoided during their travels.

The Reaper.

His body freezes in it's tracks, and he and the monstrosity meet eyes; blue against yellow. His shoulders heave slowly, and he tries his hardest to appear small, hoping that the sort of tactic that worked with predators worked on horrific Shadows.

Spoiler alert: it doesn't.

Rattling chains echo across the midnight air, and it points both long barrelled revolvers at the blue haired teenager; who scrambles away to dodge the attack in obvious fear. He doesn't have the time to be dealing with. It fires, powerful bullets rippling through the freezing sky, shooting off into the distance he manages to move at just the right moment, thanking a god he doesn't believe in that he lived.

His feet slide against a large step, and he's barely able to get his footing; nearly falling off the side and to his doom. Once he finds himself standing properly, he pulls his Evoker out, and cries for Orpheus– who is summoned without any complaints. Materialising out of blue light, the mechanical musician processes an unholy scream, summoning explosions of fire which barely do anything against the monster he's against.

Clicking his tongue, Minato tries to run through the other Personas he has.

Deciding he doesn't have the time, he continues to run up the staircase, trying to go through the options he has before he reaches the alter. He needs to defeat The Reaper, even an idiot would be able to figure that one out. If he had to face both the Reaper and Nyx, he may as well be giving himself a dual death sentence. He can't leave this thing alive– he made a vow to keep everyone safe, that they would all return alive, and he'd damn well better uphold that.

Even if it kills him, he needs to keep that promise.

The Reaper fires off bullets again, one passing off into the green expanse of the night sky, but the other brushes barely by Minato's head, slicing his bangs in two. He watches as strands of ocean-blue fly off into the night, carried by the wind, and he can barely believe how close that had been to blowing his brains out.

Orpheus, who had been trying to disarm the Shadow after the close call it's summoner had with a stray bullet, stops in it's place for only a few brief moments, but it's enough to confuse SEES's leader into fear. He wonders, rather, he _fears_ the worst, that Orpheus has chosen to turn on him just like Aragaki's Persona did, but instead, the musician is cloaked by a light made of blue, one similar to the glimmer that came with the summons.

His lips part in confusion as his Persona begins to change, it's colours going from blues, reds and silvers to nothing but pure white. A large object protrudes from it's back, towering high in the sky and replacing the lyre he had become so familiar with, chains and coffin lids crawling down the free hand of his Persona. Ah, as the glow begins to subside, he realises what's going on.

 _ **The resolution in his heart has awakened a new Persona..**_  
 _ **Orpheus has given rise to Messiah!**_

He doesn't even have to give it an order, and it begins to use a powerful magical attack. In front of The Reaper, a ball of white light begins to form, and it explodes into purple and blue– this is an Almighty attack. They were extraordinarily strong, unhindered by things like resistances and draining abilities. It was rare for him to get Personas who had those abilities, but now here it was, his initial Persona had transformed into one with such abilities.

The Reaper dies, and he thanks his new companion for it's help.

He needs to keep going..

* * *

They reach the peak of Tartarus, where clouds swirl around and the wind is like a powerful hurricane. The moon is so very close to their earth, glowing with a holy shimmer of white. It lit up the area of the final battle with it's ethereal glow, but he can't help but feel like he's not safe here. It made sense, this was where Nyx was to descend, to bring her divine judgement upon the human race that begged for here existence.

"We finally reached the top." Mitsuru murmurs, earning a small nod of agreement rumbling through the group.

Yukari points up. "Hey, look at the sky! The moon's.. warped..!?"

At the archer's words, everyone turns their gazes to the heavens above, and they see that she's completely right. Fuuka, who had taken steps back to where the staircase leading to the plateau was, not wanting to get in anyone's way when the battle began, screams out at them in utter horror, her normally sweet voice distorted by the fear that filled it.

"Something's coming!"

Akihiko clenches his fists, putting them up in his usual stance. "Is it Nyx!?"

"I can sense it even without my Persona." She's shivering, her eyes wide as she stares up at the Earth's natural satellite. "This is the first time that's ever happened.."

Descending down from the sky is a figure of pure black, four wings of pure black crawling out of it's back, it's body occasionally glowing with blue vein like lines. It had an eerily pale face, contorted with empty eyes and a wide smile; black hair slicked back in an all too familiar hairstyle. It's ginormous, body practically taking up half of the alter.

Aigis looks up at the monster, blue eyes narrowed. "You.."

"Huh?!" Realisation fills everyone's mind, but Takeba is the first to point it out. "Ryoji-kun..!?"

The eldritch monster looks down on him, it's voice a gnarled growl, echoing like a hive mind, a representation of how everyone on this planet supposedly wanted to welcome death's 'sweet' embrace. It's face never changes, though the way it spoke was almost pitying, to the point where it pissed him off, _royally_.

 **"That was my name for a time.."** If it could be grinning with malice, it would be. **"I didn't mind it."**

Biting hard on her lower lip, Kirijo disbelievingly asks what they were all wondering. "What's going on?"

"Wait, are you..?" His sister barely whispers it, her voice quivering. Despite that, how loud she spoke seemed to not matter to this monster, as he responds easily as though she had been yelling it at him.

 **"I am merely a harbinger of the Fall.. Though, it would be more correct to say that is what I once was."** Raising a single hand, the one not clutching onto a sword the size of Moonlight Bridge, it explains what it means. **"There is no longer a distinction to be made between Nyx and myself.."**

So, this really was Mochizuki Ryoji. Or at least, it was what remained of him. Evidently, it no longer cared for the human name and form it had once bared, content with preparing to fulfil it's duty of ending all life on the blue marble they called home.

Snarling, the boxer raises his eyebrows. "Is that so..!? Well, regardless of who you are, I don't regret my decision! I'll defeat you, no matter what you are!"

 **"I see.."** Pity. That's all he can describe the emotion that was in the Nyx Avatar's voice. **"Then, you must already know. What people fear most.. What they try to ignore.. That is what I am."**

Ken rolls his eyes. "We know that already."

"Yeah.. everyone does." Agrees Sanada; earning a nod from both the little boy and the leader's little sister.

"It's the one certainty for all living things.." Mitsuru adds on.

 **"Then you _must_ also understand that it is futile to resist."** Damn it.. They already know this! Ryoji had gone on and on about it, begging them to choose the other option he had provided them with. But they were happy with their decision, they wouldn't change it no matter what. **"Will you still face me? There must be trembling in your hearts.."**

Junpei's fists clench tight. "Yeah, of course I'm scared.. But who cares about that right now!? I got too much to live for!"

"I'm not going to live in fear anymore!" Yukari screams, stomping her foot down. "Being really alive means not turning away from death.. So I won't turn and cower, not even to you!"

Aigis prepares her guns. "..I will stop you, even if I must sacrifice myself to do so. I do this of my own choice!"

"We're going to face death, and _**you** _ dead in the eyes!" Kotone points her naginata up at the dark figure, the embodiment of the end of the world as they knew it. Despite that, her carmine-irises are unwavering, filled with a determination. "We're going to fight to the end, and we're going to win!"

The Avatar for Nyx sighs. **"..I see."**

Clutching his sword tight, Minato turns to his friends. "Everyone, let's go!"

 **"Come to me, Minato.."**

Batting it's four wings heavily, causing a powerful burst of tornado level winds, the group prepares for the battle. As multiple weaker Shadows crawl up from the lower floors, they split into small groups; Fuuka standing by the staircase encased by Juno, four facing against Nyx herself, while another four take care of the weaker ones in order to stop them from interrupting the battle.

It was the final battle..

Failure wasn't an option.

* * *

 _"I know you can all win!"_

A smile full of arrogance is on the Nyx Avatar's face, looking down on the four who were facing him with an ungodly malice. Standing there was Minato, their supposedly fearless leader, holding his Evoker in one hand and his sword in the other. By his side was his twin sister, Kotone, twirling her naginata defensively as she prepared to intercept any sort of attack, whether it be with her Persona or her body. She had wanted to stay by his side to the very end, insisting that she had seen the beginning of this fate, and that she wanted to see the end.

With that knowledge in his mind, the final two who joined him at the alter, facing Nyx directly, was his two seniors, Kirijo Mitsuru and Sanada Akihiko. They had been fighting this war the longest, and he had little doubt in his mind they had been the ones who wanted to watch the end the most. Despite that, he had given Yamagishi strict orders to pull any of the three out and substitute them with someone from the lower levels if they got too injured to continue on fighting against Nyx–– this was a battle where he refused to have a casualty from his dearest family, SEES itself.

Nyx doesn't move an inch, and he pounces.

"Messiah!"

His Persona attacks, striking down with it's Almighty, the very attack that had taken out what had once been the most powerful enemy they had ever faced in a single hit. The move impacts, exploding upon touching the titanic Shadow, and it clearly deals damage, but no where near enough to what they need to be dealing. He clicks his tongue.

Sliding forward on her heels a little, his sister shoves the muzzle to her temple and pulls the trigger. "Astraea!"

He feels a little safer as his sister's supportive abilities take control, boosting his speed and defensive capabilities; evidence of her not wanting anyone to go through any pain. Artemisia follows suit, her chained whip wrapping around one of Nyx's wings and freezing it to the core, shattering the ice in hopes of dealing a little more damage, something he's thankful actually happens.

Caesar is at home surrounded by thundering winds and clouds, his electricity reigning down as a god's mighty judgement upon humanity– all too fitting with the Fall and it's bringing of the end. Staring with soulless eyes and a horrific grin, Nyx practically brushes off each one of their attacks without so much as a single scratch on it's body.

 **"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate.."** Ominously, it begins to speak, spouting poetic in the words it uses. **"Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope.. Yes, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. Attaining one's dream requires a stern will and unfailing determination."**

Lifting it's arm by it's face, a blue card that Minato recognises all too well appears– a foolish man and dog about to walk off a cliff. The card shifts and changes, turning from a zero to a one.

Fire begins to spout from it's sword, which the naginata-wielder quickly slides to block for the rest of them. She can't protect everyone, and with a scream from Minato and Akihiko, she moves to protect only Mitsuru, who's major weakness was how severely she was affected by fire– something he found a little funny thanks to a joke he's made at the very beginning of the year.

Now, he can't think about that joke as something funny, considering that fire would definitely be able to kill his senior if it was given the chance. The redhead dodges another firestorm, swirling like a tornado towards her. The flames light up her maroon curls, bouncing their colour like wine in the warm light. Her movements are agile and elegant, yet a few of her steps reflect the truth emotion she can't help but feel– fear towards the increasingly heating up fire.

A warning fills Fuuka's voice as she informs him of the change, something he briefly thanks her for under his breath as he summons Messiah once more, who summons a powerful strike attack from the sky to slam into the monster's body, which tries to block with it's sword. It's ridiculous, he thinks. This thing is so disgustingly strong, stronger than he could have ever thought. Sure, he knew it was going to be a terrifying battle, but now that he's facing it he really can't believe it.

In the end, he can't come up with a proper strategy to face this monster. What's he supposed to do other than continue striking it down with as much as he can, considering that the best course of action that they have. It's a stupid strategy, one so simple and easy to figure out that it hurts him to even consider it his only possibility, but it's all he's got.

Relaying this decision to continue attacking with as much might as they can, and to continue receiving healing from their leader's sister as they strike down with ice and electricity, the three agree quickly to this stupid decision and try to give their leader enough time to switch his Persona from his true ultimate Persona, to the ultimate of the Priestess Arcana, Scathach.

It summons up hurricanes of wind, cutting into the monster's wings and sending black feathers scattering into the midnight sky, attacking in perfect synchronicity and harmony with the attacks his team mates are dealing. With a powerful beat of it's wings, Nyx looks down on them with powerful malice.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. The silent voice within one's heart whispers the most profound wisdom."**

Raising it's free arm once more, it changes it's Arcana. The card shifts from that of the Magician, to the Priestess, the one printed on it's glowing blue surface becoming a two. As Fuuka warns him about the change, he raises his sword defensively to block the next attack– shards of sharpened ice flying straight for them.

Sanada moves out of the way, his weakness to ice a worry to the leader. The ice hits the ground instead of any sort of human target, frost beginning to crawl over the marble floors and creating a rime covered playing field, all to Nyx's advantage. They slide against the ice, movements changing from once calculated and precise to as clumsy as a new born baby.

His sister curses under her breath and summons her Persona, burning the frost off the ground to create small paths for them to walk on, where they find solace in perfect placements for slamming down magical attacks. The alter is aglow with attacks of every variety, shimmers of blue and yellow thunder, the red and orange bursts of flames exploding in locations all over Tartarus's rooftop, not giving the Shadow any chance to relax as Mitsuru takes over on healing, it being the only way she can be useful while Nyx is immune to attacks of the icy elemental variety.

Despite that, each time ice was used, Mitsuru stood strong and took every hit, practically absorbing the freezing cold like it was nothing. She was clearly upset that she couldn't do much attack wise, but she seemed just fine with playing shield for attacks.

As each attack hits it's mark, he begins to realise something. These arcanas.. they don't have that much health. It doesn't take very long for Nyx to switch to the next one; and he's only realised this from two shifts. He wonders how many it'll go through until they finish it off. He knew it would've been a long battle, But the idea that they have to defeat it goodness knows how many times before it's finally finished terrifies him.

Thinking that, the monster raised it's hand and began to shift the cards.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. Celebrate life's grandeur.. its brilliance.. its magnificence.."**

Two to three. The Priestess to the Empress. Violent winds begin to kick up, cutting open the visible flesh that their clothing exposed, and the wings that the Avatar had provided it with the perfect bashing weapons as it refused to use it's sword, swinging at them with two of it's four glimmering pinions.

He has to jump and duck to dodge, and he briefly thanks his time in the track club for giving him such an agility. His legs are aching, thanks to bleeding wounds that he's been given, but he refuses to back down. None of them have plans to die on this tower tonight, rather they were prepared to return home and live their lives to the fullest, remembering this night and each other.

Minato slams his sword into a wing as it comes down to attack him, batting it away like a baseball player hitting a home run. Their attacks continue to slam in, inching down health that Nyx will only regain when it switched arcanas. Despite that, he couldn't help but feel a little bit of pride when he heard the monster scream out in pain, just knowing that it was feeling something was enough for his morale.

The cards begin to shift once more, the blue light glimmering and glowing, both the vein like lines on it's body and the manifestation of it's arcana changing forms.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. Only courage in the face of doubt can lead one to the answer.."**

Three to four. The card shifts from the Empress to the Emperor. Thunder rains down, and Akihiko is like a lightning rod. He's almost thankful that the boxer is so resilient to these sorts of attacks, though he can't help but feel bad that the senior is taking so many hits for them. It was the same when Nyx was using ice and Mitsuru stood tall and calm amongst the freezing cold.

They were so calm, despite being in the face of death.

Their rationale was affecting both him and Kotone, keeping them relaxed and able to continue fighting without fearing the worst, something he was grateful for. It was why he chose them for this battle, other than the fact he believed they would want to see the end by their hands the most. To put it plainly, if he had loudmouthed Junpei by his side during this battle, he's not sure if he'd be able to remain so level headed.

Messiah stands tall and takes hits of electricity without any sort of damage, striking back with the strength of an angry god. He's helped by a large serving of his sister's flames and his senior's ice, the combined attack sending Nyx backwards into changing it's type once more.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. It is indeed a precious gift to understand the forces that guide oneself.."**

Holding his breath, he's become used to this cycle. Four to five. Emperor to Hierophant. The Avatar raises it's critical rate, in turn raising everyone else's, and fires down it's sword upon them all, a powerful strike attack by the ends of it's blade that Kohryu blocks with it's magnificent body, breathing powerful flames onto the face of Nyx itself, who slams it's arm backwards to shake off the dragon.

It's by this time that five sets of footsteps come flying up the staircase and onto the battle stage, rejoining the rest of the group in the battle. He's so thankful that they're back, considering it meant that the lower Shadows had been defeated and they still had the strength to fight alongside the team against Nyx. He only receives confirmation when a rain of bullets descends onto Nyx's body, followed by a well placed arrow between it's eyes, lodging into one of the soulless black pits with a horrific squelch.

He hears small words of compliments shouted over the combination of a raging battle and whistling gales of wind, most coming from Amada and Junpei, who sing praise for the archer's fantastic aim. Admittedly, he was thinking the same thing; it was a really good shot. Sure, it pissed Nyx off even more, but it gave them a blind spot to work with.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. There is both joy and wonder in coming to understand another.."**

Firing arrows of psychological attacks, the Avatar's Arcana changes from a five to a six, from the Hierophant to the Lovers. They dodge and scatter, desperate to avoid having their bodies betray what their true thoughts were.

They had learned their lesson with these sorts of attacks, thanks to the battle against the July Shadows. It was safe to say none of them wanted to face that sort of thing ever again, and thanks to Fuuka's warnings, they were able to keep mostly out of the way, with the exception of a few receiving a lovely serving of anger. If anything, he would think that worked well in their favour. Anger caused them to attack without thinking, yes, but it also made them a little stronger; the power of being furious seemingly working even with fake anger.

It's by this time now that he's even more grateful that Yukari is back– when it came to healing, there wasn't any equal. Sure, they all had minor healing and support capabilities, but it wasn't hard to tell that her Persona was built on the concept of combat medic. Regaining the health they had lost becomes a lot easier with more healers around, there wasn't a single spot missed.

Exhausting it's choices in this skill set, Nyx quickly makes a decision to switch once more.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. One of life's greatest blessings is the freedom to pursue one's goals."**

Six to seven. The Lovers to the Chariot. The more that the dark figure strikes down on the group, the harder it becomes to continue standing up in order to fight back. All they had to do was continue fighting onward; yet even that was getting harder as the fight continued to rage on.

This time, instead of anything elemental, it struck using it's sword and wings, almost barbarically. Each attack was more vicious and painful than the last, its murderous intent palpable in the air. Aigis is quick to jump high in the air and fire her machine guns, bullets like rain as she landed on Nyx's arm and proceeded to run up it, firing off her guns all the meanwhile– getting as much out of the chance to deal damage up close as she can.

The Shadow twisted and turned, desperate to get the robotic girl off of it's body as it yelled and screeched, lacking that elegance it had when it first descended. The closer they got to winning, the more violent it became, the less it felt like a goddess and the more it showed it's true colours as nothing but an eldritch creation. Unfortunately, the upper hand they gained can't last forever, as soon the mechanical maiden begins to run out of bullets, diving off the Shadow's body and racing towards Yamagishi, who carried the extras on her.

The Nyx Avatar takes deep breaths, and shifts forms once more.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. To find the one true path, one must seek guidance amidst uncertainty.."**

Seven to eight. The Chariot to Justice. He can't help but feel bile bubble in his throat as the monster used magic made of light, something holy that he believes it shouldn't have the ability to possess. After all, this was a monstrous abomination, the creation of humanity's begging for death. And yet, it continued to use those attacks he had come to associate with a precocious child, and that's when the words that Nyx had been spewing strike him.

They were poetic, charming even, loathe he was to admit it, and they reminded him of his friends.

Like he was listening to one of those bards in games he used to play, singing about heroes and their stories. In a way, that's how it felt to him. His friends were _heroes_ in his mind, normal kids who took up the charge to save the world. He didn't think of himself in that light, though. In his own eyes, he was still the same selfish, weak little boy who was too scared to make the right decision.

Even so, even if he couldn't be a ' _hero_ ', he could be helpful to his friends, both the ones in SEES and the ones who lived regular lives. Stopping Nyx was just the only way he could think of doing that.

This was the world where he'd met so many incredible people, a world filled with humans of all different types. Not a single one of them was the same, they were all equally fascinating. Maybe a majority wished for death, but he believed that there was still good people out there. Both Strega, and the him of the past had given up on people too soon, and that had made them no better than Nyx.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. It requires great courage to look at oneself honestly, and forge one's own path.."**

Eight to nine. Justice to the Hermit. Nyx's style changes drastically, changing from the attack heavy way it had battled to extremely defence-orientated, trying it's hardest to block any and all of their magic attacks, forcing them to run directly for it, brandishing the weapons they held in their hands and strike with those instead. This form, if he could call it that, used magic that he had expected, darkness that crawled and haunted them from the depths of hell itself.

Though, despite that, he associated that skill set with a friendly little dog..

Said dog was fighting his hardest, towered over by Cerberus who summoned it's flames like hot breath. It creates a ring of fire in the sky, one that descended onto Nyx like an arc of hell's gateway, all too fitting for the three headed dog who kept Hades's entry safe. Combined with Amada's secondary skill of electricity, and the pair made a devastating combo, even if they couldn't use what they normally specialised in.

He almost found it funny– the smallest members of their team had such a good synchronicity.  
Almost.  
He was too worried that they'd be the first to fall to actually want to laugh.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. Alongside time exists fate, the bearer of cruelty."**

Nine to ten. The Hermit to Fortune. Not a single thing did this one specialise in, instead choosing to utilise all the elements that they had access to, flames and ice combining with lightning and winds. Unable to attack with their own abilities, they continue to attack with the blades, fists and various long distance weaponry they had armed themselves with, though Odin's piercing physical attacks greatly helped them along.

Each visit to the odd residents of the Velvet Room had been interesting, to say the least. Yet he couldn't deny that he enjoyed their oddities and antics, and that they were extremely helpful to him within this past year. He wouldn't have lived this long if it hadn't been for them supporting him from the shadows of their brightly coloured room. And for that, he would always be grateful to them.

They had provided him with so many Personas, all had come in handy one way or another. Igor had simply chuckled, a smile wrinkling his already prune-like face, when Minato had gone in there to prepare for this night, fusing Personas together and recollecting the ones he considered the strongest for the night. Elizabeth had given him items of varying use in exchange for things from their world, as well as trips out into reality.

They were a fascinating duo.

This battle would've been impossible without them.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. Only with strength can one endure suffering and torment."**

This one reminded him of one from before, though they've cycled through so many forms and changes that he can barely register them. It's physical attacks were deadly, and it forced them back into using the magical attacks they had been weened off thanks to the way the past two were utterly immune to them. He wonders if that was a strategy of purpose, one to confuse them into wasting time and energy on physically attacking.

..He doesn't care though. He only continues to order Messiah to rain down Almighty attacks, following the fireworks that his sister creates with her own Persona as explosions rupture in the air around their enemy. Junpei and Koromaru join her in the party of fire, with the others soon adding in their own elemental attacks to the combination for added strength.

Calling him angry was a good word, though he'd probably prefer the word 'livid'. He was utterly furious that Nyx chose to continue mocking them, to continue standing after they put so much effort into the battle. What else was it but ridiculous? They were doing as much as they possibly could, trying their very hardest, and yet nothing they did seemed to work.

 **"The Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. In the face of disaster lies opportunity for renewal."**

It's mocking them. He can tell by the arrogant grin on it's face, while it never changes, the tone of it's distorted and disgusting voice very much does. At this point, he wonders if there's a point to him listening to the words it spews, and he chooses instead to continue dodging attacks of powerful potential, how they destroy the alter Nyx had descended upon with little care.

Sanada summons Caesar once more, the rippling white of the emperor's coat shimmering in Minato's eyes as it uses it's sword to block Nyx's own, holding it in a struggle as the monster begins to speaks once more, it's phrasing similar to how it had been when it began.

 **"The moment man devoured the fruit of knowledge, he sealed his fate.. Entrusting his future to the cards, man clings to a dim hope. Yet, the Arcana is the means by which all is revealed.. Beyond the beaten path lies the absolute end. It matters not who you are.. Death awaits you."**

With those words, he realises that they're on their last legs; both SEES and Nyx. This was it's true Arcana. He's not sure whether he should be happy or afraid, yet he chooses to keep a straight face. Nothing was over yet, and they weren't going to know it was finished until Nyx fell to the ground.

 **"You cannot avoid death. To live is to die; they are one in the same..."**

It's wings flutter slightly and encase it's body, an ethereal glow arising around it as it breaks it's protective shell, an eerie shield of light surrounding where it's wings had been giving guard. Fuuka warns them to hold their attacks, unsure of what's going on, and they all quickly scramble into guarding positions, hiding behind weapons and Personas for safety.

To everyone's surprise, nothing occurs as silence falls over the air, their bodies not moving an inch in fear of the unknown. As the glow begins to wear off, Nyx returns to being on the offensive– striking them down with a powerful blow. They barely have the strength to avoid it, and instead choose to block the attack. It's painful, clawing new marks onto his skin and tearing open old ones, but it's better than directly taking the hit. He'd prefer greatly the slightly weakened blow over taking it head on.

He slides underneath it's body, his sword clipping at where it's ankles would be, earning a small growl of pain from the monster; all he needs to know that he's doing damage, albeit a small amount. It's all he needs to raise his morale, slamming the blade of his weapon back into one of it's wings with a throw of his arm, earning a surprised screech from the monster. With his sword lost, firmly lodged into the joints between Nyx's back and wings, he runs back towards the rest of the group where he actually has a chance of defending himself, no longer having melee as an option.

Mitsuru scolds him; going on about how he shouldn't have rid himself of his weapon, but the fact the Shadow's wings have been clipped is all Sanada needs to insist to shut her up. It's a good thing, he growls. This way, it can't do that defensive move. The other senior begrudgingly agrees, a weak sigh on her lips as they turn back to the enemy, who had been attempting to stretch it's wings and flex it's back muscles in attempts to rid the sword from it's body.

It stares them dead in the eyes as it hits the ground with a ginormous thump.

* * *

"..Did we do it!?" Kirijo's words of rejoice are far too premature, as Nyx begins to raise high into the sky. Its black figure takes up a large portion of the glimmering moon, which was already of a size that was far too unnatural– whether it be due to their proximity in the sky or because of the Dark Hour, he doesn't know and he doesn't care.

As disbelief fills their eyes, Nyx looks down on them with beating wings, feathers falling to the earth below as it spoke, looking down on them with every breath it used.

 **"Such a pity.. You understand fate, yet you still fight against it with all your will.. If more people were like you, then perhaps the Fall could have been prevented.. alas, it's too late now."**

With those spite filled words, the moon began to split apart, cracks glowing with an ominous red. He could hear the cogs turning to open it up wide, and he watched as a large red eye stares down at them.

Fuuka's hands shiver over her mouth. "Th-The moon..!"

"What is that!?"

"Ryoji-kun's being swallowed up by the moon..!" As the teal haired girl watches, she shakes her head to deny the words she had only said moments prior, realising her examination was incorrect. "Wait.. no, that's not it! Is the moon getting closer!?"

A red light comes out of the back of the Nyx that they had fought against, connecting the moon and what they had known as Mochizuki Ryoji like a red thread of fate. Nothing but shock fills them all as they try to come up with theories as to what's going on, moving in closer together as fear twists and curls in the pits of their stomachs.

Akihiko narrows his eyes. "No way, is that the main body!?"

"Soon.." Aigis murmurs, practically confirming their worst fears as they all turn to her. "It will soon descend.. upon us all."

And they were the impact sight. The once green glow that they had come to associate with the Dark Hour had taken a red hue, one like the dripping blood leaving their wounds. And even worse, was how the world around them began to awaken. No longer were people transmogrified in their coffins, not knowing a thing about the events that occurred in the secret time between one day and the next.

Now, they were face to face with the truth.

They scream and yell up at the tower, unsure of what to make out of it as a bell tolls for them all. Believers of the cult Strega had created excitedly spout about how the prophecy had been true, screaming and laughing at the top of their lungs as they gesture to the moon and to the people around them, wildly stirring up an already fear-filled crowd with their words of death's march.

Soon, the loudest of the bunch begins to spew dark liquid from every open orifice of his body, and more and more of them begin to share the same qualities. Shifting into the monsters that roamed this hour; Shadows. People scream and begin to kick dirt up as they try to escape from the increasing amount of monsters that crawl towards them with the intent to kill.

Without a doubt, all hell has broken loose.

The city was in pandemonium, and they could all hear it. They all inch closer and closer together, hands gripping onto sleeves and other hands as uncertainty to their fate fell upon them, the only thing that breaks them out of their shocked gazes onto the sky being Fuuka's voice.

"Something's coming from the moon!"

Just as she says that, a large black pulse shocks over the world, sending each and every one of them falling to the ground with pained screams. The weight of whatever was crushing them was insane, keeping them tightly pinned to the floor as they tried to fight it with all their might. His own arms shake as he tries to push himself off the destroyed rubble of the battleground they had used, only for him to weakly hit it once more.

"What is this..!?" Ken screams.

Kotone's voice is a wobble. "It's like something's crushing me!"

Yukari growls as she glares up at the moon, her body unable to lift back up. "This.. is nothing..!"

Another powerful gravity wave thunders over the earth, only shoving them closer to the earth and destroying the building beneath them, increasingly causing it to collapse further and further to the ground. Despite that, they refuse to give up, not when they had been this close. They force themselves off the ground, shoulders shaking and bodies barely able to support their own weight, but they can't lose here.

Nyx looks down upon them. **"Why..? What good will it do to rise up? Give in.."**

Junpei shakes his head. "Nuh-uh! I'm not backin' down!"

"My mind's made up! I'm in this to the end!" Yukari screams back.

Almost in response to the words that the two teenagers spewed, it sends another shock down upon them, sending SEES flying back to the earth that they had forced themselves up from. Ken screams in pain, and Kotone's cries echo across the air as her body is contorted slightly as her leg is crushed underneath rubble.

"Ken!? Kotone!?" Akihiko had tried to force himself up to help the two, but is forced back down.

None of them can move, bodies utterly stuck in place.

"..Dammit..!"

"We've come this far..! I refuse to submit!"

Slowly, he can feel his consciousness begin to fade. He can hear voices screaming for him, the voices of his dearest friends, but he's unable to respond back as his eyelids droop lower and lower, his muscles refusing to listen to the orders he gives. He doesn't want to give in, but his body gives him little choice as he finally slips from reality.

* * *

He awakens in a room of violent blue, and he briefly takes confused looks around as he meets eyes with the bulbous nose and smile of Igor, and the eccentric aura of Elizabeth. He understands where he is, but he doesn't like the things he's associating with his arrival here.

As he opens his mouth to speak, Igor cuts him off, creaky voice saying things he's relieved to hear. "There's no need to worry. This isn't the afterlife.. You're still alive."

A sigh of relief fills his breath, and his shoulders heave downwards.

"Do you remember what I told you..? ..How the strength of your bonds will determine your potential?" He does vaguely remember that, though he swears it had been worded slightly differently. Perhaps by this point, the old man had chosen to use words and phrases that his guest would better understand. "Listen.. Can you hear the many voices?"

He strains his ears to hear what the man is talking about, and he can barely pick up the sounds of many mixed tones over the operatic singer in the background. He slowly nods his head, and Igor smiles widely.

"Each one's power is limited.. Yet, they all reach out to you.. Can you feel them?"

Minato slowly breathes in and out, and finally, they all truly reach his ear, each and every one. "Yes.. I sense them."

"Close your eyes and listen carefully.. Their voices may be faint, but surely you can hear them.." As those words leave the lips of the Velvet Room's master, a mysterious mass of energy gathers in his gloved hands, one that glimmers with such a strength, yet fill so warm and gentle at the same time. He understands what this is.. The emotions, how powerful they are, of all his friends.

And they're all gathering into him.

Each voice echoes in his mind, from the student council's Hidetoshi, to Bebe all the way in France. His eyes begin to wet with tears, and he chooses to listen to each thing they say, their belief in him being the only thing that's keeping him going as of this very moment.

He hears every single one of them.

"Can you hear them..? These are the voices of hope that wish to help you.." Ah, that's what they were. He can feel the liquid from his eyes trail down his cheeks, soaked to the brim as he listens to the gentle sound of the old couple Bunkichi-san and Mitsuko-san, combined with the slight heave of a voice that the sickly boy Akinari had pushing him forward to continue fighting. "Separately, they are weak.. But together, they will bring about a great change in you. Now is the time to draw on the true strength of the bonds you have forged!"

The light explodes like a bomb, and in it's place forms a card he's never seen before, and Igor breathes out a sigh of disbelief as his eyes fall upon it.

"I never dreamed of seeing that card with my own eyes.. This is indeed a surprise.." He chuckles slightly, and the card begins to float towards the blue haired teen, the power of his bonds overflowing by just the sheer proximity. "Behold the last power you and I shall unveil.. It is the power to bring about a new beginning, or the _**ultimate end**_. It may be possible now, with this newfound power.. You may be able to defeat the one who cannot be defeated."

His eyes widen, and he lets the card fall into his hands.

"What you have in your hands is the power of the _Universe_.. Nothing is outside the realm of possibility for you now." The card fades into his chest, warming it up with its soft glow, the feelings of trust and love that poured into the creation of it filling his soul.

Elizabeth smiles softly, and turns to him. "We will soon reach your destination."

"It seems that, in addition to Death, fate has also dealt you the wild card." That was what his power was called, wasn't it? He was the wild card, the number zero. Of many possibilities and fates, never bound by a single one. "..You must accept your destiny."

He nods his head, slowly.

He understands.

He understands what he must do completely.

Igor smiles. "Our contract has been fulfilled.. I have completed my role as well. You were _**truly** _ a remarkable guest."

As those words leave the old man's mouth, the elevator that the Velvet Room had taken shape of begins to slow to a stop, it's constant ascend to the heavens seemingly coming to an end. As the clock behind the chair the two residents sat upon began to slow to a stop, and the gate began to open, he begins to ponder about his life, and what he's about to do.

Most people might call him selfless.  
He's the exact opposite.  
He's not doing this for the world, after all.

He's doing it for those people who cried out to him, still believing in the future.  
He's doing it for his friends, who deserved to see spring come once again.

* * *

He reawakens in the real world, on the peak of Tartarus where he had left off. The moon falling from the sky is the first thing he sees, along with the intense waves of power that were crushing his friends like ants. Despite the fact they had no chance, everyone continued to fight, pushing themselves back up again and again. Despite the fact everyone was so heavy against the ground, he feels as light as a feather.

And with that in mind, he pushes himself off the ground.

Everyone looks up at him in shock, the first to scream at him being Yukari. "How.. can you move..!?"

He turns to the 'moon', his body lifting up as he whispers one last thing to his most important people. It's such a simple little phrase, one he knows they'll understand. A smile forming on his face, the tears still fresh on his face, he turns back.

"Live."

He begins to float higher and higher into the sky, and he can hear everyone screaming at him to come back. But he doesn't dare look back, for despite the smile pressed firmly upon his lips, he's crying.

"Big bro!"

"Wait!"

"What the hell!? Why can't we stand up!?"

"Come back!"

"What are you thinking!?"

"Minato-san!"

"Don't leave us!"

He hears desperate screams for him to come back to them, profanities and obscenities yelled at him as though he'd turn back to respond to them. But he doesn't, only continuing to climb further and further into the sky, towards the coruscating pool of power that curls in the sky. Rather, instead of simply entering power itself, he's taking steps into the true body of Nyx itself.

He floats through cosmos, Messiah becoming a barrier for his safety as he approaches a simple, glimmering egg. He takes a step down, and begins to attack with is bare fists, weak attacks that barely do anything. Nyx destroys him with every hit, and the only thing keeping him standing is the voices that begin to echo in his mind.

Amada Ken. "Minato-san! Don't let it end like this, okay!?"

Sanada Akihiko. "Arisato! No matter what happens, you and the rest of us are one!"

Kirijo Mitsuru. "Please, give Arisato our strength! The strength to stand against the Fall!"

Takeba Yukari. "Arisato-kun! If you don't come back, I'll never forgive you!"

Yamagishi Fuuka. "Please, give him our strength.. Our hopes to Arisato-kun!"

Iori Junpei. "Don't be the only one looking cool! I'm coming right now to help you, so hold up!"

The barks of Koromaru.

Aigis. "I won't allow this world to be destroyed!"

Arisato Kotone, his dearest sister. "I know you're way stronger than this, Big bro! Fight on!"

They keep him pushing forward, through the flames and fire that Nyx spouted at him, trying to kill him in those instances. Despite that, they do practically nothing against him anymore, the words his friends continue to spill giving him every ounce of energy he'll ever need.

Finally, the last voice echoes in his ears, and he feels a warmth in his hand, as though it's being held.

Aragaki Shinjiro. "I'll lend you a hand. Let's do this."

The final strike that Nyx will ever deal thunders down upon him, with enough power to destroy the human civilisation. Despite that, he keeps it safe, blocking the attack with every fibre of his being. Taking a deep breath, he raises his hand high into the sky, a single finger pointed up at Nyx's true form. A light begins to form, from the ground up, and it engulfs every single thing around him.

* * *

They awaken in a grand expanse, like space itself.

Yukari slowly looks around, confusion filling her doe-like eyes as she slowly pulls herself up off the ground, checking her body for any wounds. Not surprisingly, she's still covered in every single one she had been given during that final battle.

"..Where are we..?" She whispers.

Mitsuru is the next to speak, moving close to her friend with a question on her tongue. "..Did Nyx create this place? Or.. was it him?"

Slowly helping Kotone off the ground, Akihiko takes a look around. "Where's Arisato? What happened to him?"

The teal haired girl clutches her hands tightly together, her eyebrows furrowed. "Everything was engulfed in a bright light.. I don't sense him."

"Don't tell me he.." The two who had taken charge of caring for Ken pull him close, and he looks around with wide, disbelieving eyes as the words leave his lips.

"No!" Junpei cuts him off. "That can't be! He can't have been the only one..! Try again!"

The girl only shakes her head, and the short haired boy falls to his knees.

"You've gotta be kidding me.."

Lower lip quivering, Kotone clutches Akihiko's ripped sleeve tightly as she began to sob. "Please.. no.. not again.."

"We all decided to put our lives on the line.." Steps in the redhead, though the way her voice shook with every word implied that she was feeling the same way the rest of them were. "In fact, we came here knowing we would most likely die."

Aigis grips her hands into fists. "How.. could I be so powerless..? This was what I was trying to prevent!"

Slamming her bow down on the ground, Yukari screams out at the never ending sky around them, whipping her head around and around as she continued to search for their leader, never spotting his familiar head of blue in her frantic search.

"You're there, aren't you!? I know you are! I refuse to believe that you're gone! Answer me, dammit! I know you can hear me!"

"We're here! Please let us hear your voice!"

Distress and agony fills their voices as they call out for him, and he begins to come up with the right words to say in the back of his mind. He's unsure, and never been good at putting his feelings into words, but they finally formulate for once in his hopeless life. Yet he's unable to ever spill them, the words not leaving his lips despite the fact he knows exactly what to say.

And instead of his own voice, a similar one echoes out. **"Don't worry. I will sleep once more.. Normal days will return to this universe.. For you all.. and for him. He's found the answer to life's greatest question. It just happened a bit sooner than it will for the rest of you."**

Aigis looks up to the voice. Ryoji.. "Life's greatest question.."

A smile fills the boy's voice. "Aigis.. You'll find it eventually, too. After all, you've already become an irreplaceable life.."

Before the girl can answer him back, he continues on to inform them of what's going on in their reality.

 **"Soon, the Dark Hour will vanish from this world.. All will truly be relinquished from it's dominion, and the legacy of life will continue. Congratulations, you have the miracle you sought."** Sadness. That's all they can hear. **"..We will meet again some day."**

As another light engulfs them all, they find themselves being welcomed into the real world once more.

* * *

OHHHHH WHO LIVES IN AN EGG UP IN THE MOON  
NYX AND RYOJI  
WHOSE READY TO BRING THE FALL AND DESTROY HUMANITY  
NYX AND RYOJI  
WHOSE TAKEN DOWN BY AN EMO TEENAGERS WISH  
NYX AND RYOJI

ok i'll stop, sorry.  
this shit is literally so fucking long i want to kill myself.  
like forreal tho im in actual pain

anyway! i have a few questions!  
what would u all prefer  
a. filler chapters  
b. straight to march 5th

also, would u all prefer that in the sequel fic i have in the works,  
would u like a prologue chapter, or this fic to have an epilogue chapter to tie them together?  
pls, help me decide!

anyway!  
grimreaper- FUUUCK TRU TRU TRU! that nyx battle is literally something from hell

I HOPE Y'ALL ENJOYED! idk how many chaps we have left but its not very many!  
im so extraordinarily grateful to you all for joining me on this journey,  
if you had told me when i started that i would've actually finished this fic, i would've called you insane.  
it really bought back my passion for writing, and im extremely glad for it.

i'll see you in the next one!  
thank you so very much for reading!


	67. march 5th (final chapter)

i decided to end this on even chapters  
so this one, plus the epilogue after this will be our last

* * *

 _March 5th, 2010._  
 _Early Morning._

He awakens to a gentle knock on his door, so soft that he probably wouldn't have woken up at all if it hadn't been repetitive. After all, he's been so tired recently, his body heavy with sleep and his mind always wandering off. He knows why he's like this, and he's got a thousand letters written up as to explain why he did what he did. Most of them were scrapped, and he ended up leaving a single one tucked into a photo book he owned, one filled with pictures of his childhood.

They'll find it, he knows they will.

"It's me, Aigis." He turns his gaze towards the door, and slowly pulls himself out of the bed at who it was knocking for entrance. "May I please come in?"

He lets her in, not bothering to close the door behind her. He's tired, and it hurt for him to even be standing up for as long as he had been. She takes clear notice, and lets him sit back down, where he wishes to sink back into the sheets. He can't, he has somewhere to be.

"Thank goodness. I'm so happy to see you again.." Her voice is a weak whisper; filled with emotion. It was so very different from the monotonous, robotic way she had spoken when they'd first met, it was like meeting a different person. "I'm sorry to show up so suddenly.. But.. I really needed to talk to you."

"I know.."

Her lips part slightly as her eyes water, tearing up and dribbling down her cheeks despite her mechanical body. "..I remember everything. Everyone seems to have forgotten, but I remember.. That day, we.."

"Don't.. cry.." He reaches out, wiping a stray away.

"I'm sorry.." She apologises, voice shaking uncontrollably as she used her own hands to get rid of the tears that continued to spill from her blue eyes. "It's just that, when I remembered.. I was afraid you might go somewhere far away, like you did at the last battle.."

"Don't.. worry." A smile forms on Minato's face, as he lies straight through his teeth. "..I won't go anywhere."

"Right.." She sniffles, and smiles. "Graduation's today, isn't it? I'm sorry.. the ceremony's already begun.."

"Oh, I see.." He takes a deep breath through his nose, and gives her a small smile. "We can still make it.."

Her eyes light up, glimmering at the words he spoke with an excitement he can't place his fingers on. Smiling sweetly, gentler than the cherry blossom petals peppering his window frame, she turns to the outside world where the sky was lit with pink.

"Such nice weather outside.." His head nods in agreement, wobbly steps to his desk as he reaches for his headphones and his music player. As he takes them in his thin hands, she asks a question. "..Do you remember? The promise we all made?"

"I do."

"Why don't we go there and wait for the others?" She take small steps out the door, waiting for him in the hallway as she allows him to change into his school uniform. He wants to wear it for the last time. "We can enjoy the view of this peaceful city.."

* * *

 _March 5th, 2010._  
 _Morning._

"The cherry blossoms at the front gate are in full bloom, and the breeze going by is filled with hints of early spring. On this momentous day, it is truly an honour to hold Gekkoukan High School's graduation ceremony, and I am eternally grateful–"

The school's principal goes on and on as per usual, his words becoming like white noise in everyone but the third years's ears, who were listening with a passionate vigour, for it was the last time they would ever hear one of his speeches. A few were already crying, small sobs concealed by handkerchiefs and sleeves, though her red-irises haven't left the back of the boxing club's graduating captain, who was as stony faced as ever.

In front of her was an empty chair, and beside that was her two friends, Takeba Yukari and Iori Junpei. By her own side was the fourth of their little group, a quiet girl named Yamagishi Fuuka. The two in front seemed a little worried, whispering amongst themselves in a manner that made it feel like they wanted the world to hear.

The brunette's voice is low, as she leans close to the slightly taller boy beside her. "Where's Arisato-kun?"

"..He wasn't here when we arrived..?" Junpei whispers back, turning his head around in order to speak to the girl in the row behind them. "Yo, Kotone.. know where your brother is?"

"I don't.. I figured he'd show up by himself." She shrugs, now concerned as well. She didn't think he'd miss this ceremony. After all, today was a special occasion, and they all had somewhere to be after this..

..Them all?  
Who's she talking about when she uses 'them'?

"Continuing on, our valedictorian's speech." A female teacher speaks over the microphone, drawing her attention back. "Representing today's graduates, from Class D, Kirijo Mitsuru-san."

From the row of seniors stands a tall and elegant redhead. "Yes ma'am."

The beautiful woman made her way up the empty middle of the auditorium, her head held high as she took calm steps up a staircase onto the stage in front of them all, where flowers and the school banner flew. She moves behind the podium that the teachers had stood behind only moments before, and begins her speech.

"My last year at this academy saw me taking on what I found to be a significant role." She begins, her tone unchanging as she went through the well-rehearsed words. "To fulfil my duties as student council president, I pondered, and stated something to you on this stage one year ago. We should not avert our eyes from the fact that the future is finite. Now that I think of it, the opportunity that allowed me to ponder this may have been fate. Some of you may already be aware, but last year I lost my father to sudden illness, and.."

She stops, and the crowd begins to whisper and gossip amongst themselves, confusion setting in. A few seniors began to excitedly go on about how at least on their final day, they got to see the perfect Miss Kirijo mess up at something, but a certain few turned their gazes to where she had been looking.

Outside the window, scattering in the breeze.  
Cherry blossoms fly like sparkling memories.

Gasps leave their lips as the students who remember force themselves up from their seats, running desperately for the door. Four second years, and one of the graduates, along with their valedictorian, all abandoning the ceremony. They run and run and run, crying each other's names as they avoided teachers in order to reach the rooftop of their school, breaths heaving in their bodies as they went at full speed ahead.

They needed to get there!  
To where they promised to meet once again!

* * *

His headphones situated around his neck, blasting out a song he knows all too well. He watches the bright blue sky, void of clouds and filled with flying flowers, refusing to let his eyes close until he gets a sight of the people he's waiting for. His head is heavy on Aigis's lap, but he knows that she doesn't mind it at all.

 _(When the wind rings high..)_

"The breeze feels nice, doesn't it?" She murmurs, earning a small hum of agreement from him. The gentle sway of spring that fills the air was like a lullaby to him, combined with the sweet scent of flowers surrounding them.

 _(And the light hits your eyes..)_

Her voice is a soft whisper, over the background of wind turbines creating power. They scattered petal clusters like a flower girl at someone's grand wedding, making the sky dyed the colour of blush. "..You know, Minato-san? I finally understand now."

 _(Time for one last ride off to dreamland.)_

"That the end will surely come." He agrees with her completely. That was what he'd come to understand in those final moments, and it was how he'd made his decision. He refused to let the end come prematurely, to be bought by someone wishing for death. He'd rather time play out it's course of events, and that couldn't happen with Nyx capable of bringing the world's demise.

 _(Don't you worry; I'll be here..)_

He was so glad that he was able to see this sight, to live in this moment. He truly did love this season, and this location was the perfect place for him to drift off into the land of sleepy fantasies. "Only those who were able to face the truth that it will come to them, too, will be able to find it."

 _(To remember you, dear.)_

"What it is that proves you're alive." Perhaps he'd found the Answer to Life earlier than everyone else, but he knew that everyone would discover their own versions of that question's solution. From his dearest little sister, to the mechanical maiden who gained a life.. They would all find their resolution.

 _(Your laugh, your smile, all your happiness, and your tears.)_

He doesn't want her to keep talking. He wishes she would be quiet, and let him soak in the atmosphere. Because she'll only break the steel will he'd built up, forcing the tears out of his eyes that he refused to shed. "After all, I have found it, too."

 _(And it's hard some days, but I'll be okay.)_

"My reason for living," Stop it, please. He doesn't want to hear it anymore.

 _(Because even when it's tough,)_

His lips quiver slightly, breaths harder and harder to inhale. "My purpose for living."

 _(You give me just enough so I can keep on goin'.)_

"I.." He parts them, trying to stop her from speaking. But even though he's trying his hardest, the words don't form in his vocal chords. He wonders if he's reaching his limit, and his body simply wont cooperate with him anymore.

 _(When I close my eyes; and I dream at night..)_

One of her metallic hands is placed over his own, where they rest atop his slow-rising chest. "I want to go on protecting you, forever."

 _(I feel you in my arms.)_

"I want to become your strength." But she can't, because there isn't a forever.

 _(Safe and sound.. here with me..)_

She smiles, so sweet and so soft, that he finally feels the tears form in his ocean-coloured eyes. They well up in his tear ducts, until they finally roll out, down past his ears and onto petal below their feet. "That is what it means for me to be alive."

 _(Everything we found..)_

"You must be exhausted, Minato-san.." She finally takes notice of how tired he looked, blinking eyes coming closer and closer to closing all eternity. Yet he refuses to let that happen, not until he sees them all for the last time.

 _(Makes me sing..)_

Her free hand brushes away strands of cut blue bangs. "You should get some rest now."

 _(Night after night you paved the way,)_

"I'll always be here for you." He knows she will be, and that's what makes him so upset. He doesn't want her to always be here for him, because he knows that it'll only hurt her in the end. But he can't do anything about that, and he can only entwine his fingers in her steel ones.

 _(Put up the fight to save the day,)_

The distance feeling of satisfaction feels his heart. "You'll be seeing the others soon, too."

 _(Now you're a **hero**.)_

"You have nothing to worry about." At first, he wonders why he feels that way. But then, he realises it. He's about to go see his parents once more, to tell them with a smile that he died to save the people he cared about the most. That was all he needed to feel happy with how he lived.

 _(You bought the light that made today,)_

Well.. how he lived the past year. In fact, he's lived more in this past year than he did over the past ten years since that accident. No longer was he filled with despair over what happened, now he was fine with the way he lived. "I'll always be by your side,"

 _(Perfect and bright, so dream away,)_

"Protecting you." Before returning to Iwatodai, and becoming the leader of the Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad, he never truly lived his life to the fullest, the life his parents had died protecting. He had only cared about waking up each day to continue existing, okay with doing just that. And he wouldn't have cared if he never woke up at all. But now, breathing his last breaths, he's just fine with how he chose his end.

 _(Now you're an **angel**.)_

Keeping his loved ones safe. "––Hey! Minato!"

 _(Sleeping in peace, baby you'll be,)_

"–Big bro!" Their voices echo across the empty air, ringing into his ears like the sweetest sounds he's ever heard. First it was the boisterous sound of Junpei, excitedly calling out for him. Then it was the bell-like lilt of Kotone.

 _(Surrounded by my love through all eternity.)_

At the same time is the cheerful bounce of Yukari's timbre, and the ethereal warmth of Fuuka. "–Arisato-kun!"

 _(Lay down your head and close your eyes,)_

"–Arisato!" His last name is like a sombre song off of Mitsuru and Akihiko's voices, both deep and commanding, yet filled with a kindness he'll never forget so long as he was existing, whether it was as a living human, or as a simple soul.

 _(Right off to bed to sleep tonight, I will be watchin')_

A bark. The tears can't be stopped anymore, pouring down his cheeks like rain as he's barely able to make out the albino fur of Koromaru, and the sound of his little paws tapping against the concrete rooftop.

 _(Thinking of you, the times we had, all of the good and all the bad,)_

"Minato-san!" Ken's voice is so precocious, the innocence of a child filling the hole that had once been filled with hatred. He thinks that he should tell Shinjiro when he sees him once again, a smile on his face as he goes on about how that little boy was truly living.

 _(Never forgotten, seal it with a kiss,)_

He meets eyes with his friends, tears staining his face, and theirs.

 _(Promise you this,)_

He closes his eyes.

 _(I'll love you 'til the end of time; forever.)_

* * *

SO.. I ENDED UP CRYING WHILE WRITING THIS..  
i really had to put the lyrics from the title song in this final chapter  
it wouldnt have felt right if i didnt

this chapter is short, but i feel like its perfect.  
we started off small, we should end off small as well.

thank you all so much for joining me on this journey!  
by the time i upload this one, i should have the epilogue up as well.

some special thanks!  
grimreaper, for being there from the beginning!  
writingsoul, for always encouraging me!  
dalzii, for enjoying my stupid personality!

and you, for reading through until the end!  
this fic really was a rebirth for my passion for writing  
i hope you'll all stick with me through the sequel to this one too!

thank you so very much!  
i'll see you next time, in our finale!


	68. epilogue

EPILOGUE..

* * *

Pale fingers deftly work at knitting together wool of multiple pastel colours, weaved together with a grace and care. She had already gotten so much of what she was creating done, she couldn't afford to mess up, causing her to go slow with how she threaded them together. Her small feet brush against milky white thighs as she pulls them up onto the sofa she was lying on, sliding them underneath her body for warmth in the cold air of an early spring night.

Her lifestyle of fighting eldritch monsters of darkness hadn't changed a bit in the past six years, and if she were being rightly honest, she'd say she was very happy with that. The group she had been a member of during her teen years, the Specialised Extracurricular Execution Squad, had disbanded a little over six years ago, a day she can remember with pinpoint accuracy. At that time, they'd believed that sort of life they had lived was finished with the destruction of the Dark Hour, but in truth that had only been the beginning.

Depression over the loss of someone is an awful emotion.

Combine that with the power to manipulate their inner most selves, and the residue of the Tower of Demise– Tartarus– and they had been trapped in a time-loop of the final day of March, where they learned the truth behind the death of their leader; her elder twin brother.

His life meeting it's end wasn't a tragedy that they couldn't ever understand the reasons behind, it was a sacrifice to save them all.

With that knowledge in their hearts, the sorrow that had influenced the hibernating abyss lifted, and they were free to continue on their lives. Lives that probably shouldn't have included the elimination of manifestations of humanities emotions. Alas, the Kirijo Group's heiress, an old friend of hers, felt as though she needed to atone for the sins her family committed.

And with that, she created the Shadow Operatives.  
Official title, Security Department; Shadow Response Unit.

The members of SEES were apart of the reserve group, only called in for emergencies– or if an incident was occurring close to the location they happened to be situated at. The first one didn't happen very often, thanks to the pair of Anti-Shadows weapons that existed.

Aigis was the youngest of the two surviving models, though she had been active for the longest.  
Labrys had only awakened a little over three years ago, causing havoc out of fear of the group she now worked for.

..That was a story for another day.

The television buzzing in the background begins to spew words that she finds rather interesting, and her attention is quickly tuned in to hear what the news is going on about. A video of a train crashing into the sides of an underground subway station plays in front of her, and her eyes widen with shock as she places her knitting down, covering her mouth in disbelief.

The newscaster is as impeccably calm as always, her face never changing. "That was direct footage from the accident. According to the police, the engineer's life was not endangered, despite his injuries. After questioning, even he could not explain his high speed when approaching the station. No further comments were made. Police are still looking for a plausible motive."

The meat of the report soaked up, she begins to search her minds for similar incidences that have occurred, only able to come up with ones relating to the Apathy Syndrome cases caused by the Dark Hour and Shadow attacks. With that thought in her mind, she calls out for the other person living in the home with her.

"Akihiko-san?"

She hears the door to their bathroom slide open, and footsteps exit out. Looking over her shoulder, she meets eyes with her fiance, a police officer working in the Tokyo District that they currently lived in. His silver hair was slightly wet still, droplets of water clinging to light strands. A towel wrapped around his shoulders shields his shirt from the wet.

Running a towel-covered hand over his short bangs, he raises an eyebrow. "What's wrong, Kotone?"

"..Do you know anything related to this?" She gestures for the television, where the reporter was still going on about the accident that had occurred, and he briefly accesses it before parting his lips.

"To be honest with you.. It's beginning to resemble Shadow attacks." Ah, so her suspicions were right. He continues on, voice low. "That coincidence, combined with the increased level of Shadow activity, and I think we may have another case on our hands."

Clasping her hands together tight, she runs her thumb over the other in a calming motion. "..Should we contact Mitsuru-san?"

"That would probably be our best option, if she hasn't already contacted us."

A sigh leaves her lips.

Looks like this year's about to become a lot more lively.  
Well.. it's not like she minds it.

* * *

HEY SO.  
guess what we're going for p5 this time binches

loudly skippin over p4 because yu narukami is getting too powerful  
just saying his name makes him 10x stronger

its not gonna be a novelisation like this fic was,  
rather it'll be.. the p3 cast doin what they can during the events of p5  
and eventually getting intertwined with the kids who hate authority

does that make sense?  
ahh well it'll take me a while to get the first chapter of that one ready so;;  
during that time you'll either not hear from me  
or i'll be posting lil oneshots and other super random shit!  
just depends on what i can get done in the amount of time its takes me to get the first one ready

well! i hope you all enjoyed!  
thank you so much for joining me on this adventure!  
i cant wait to start the next one with you all!


End file.
